Question 1

Is Boise or Portland cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Boise, ID is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $932/month less than in Portland, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,655/mo in Boise versus $1,922/mo in Portland.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Boise vs Portland?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $63,000/year before tax in Boise, ID and $89,000/year in Portland, OR — a difference of about $26,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Boise or Portland cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Boise, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,908/month in Boise and $8,478/month in Portland, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Boise or Portland?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Boise costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Boise74	Portland58
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,490	$4,422
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,908	$8,478
Salary for comfort	$63,000/yr	$89,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,655	$1,922
Median home value	$456,000	$557,600
Median household income	$81,308	$88,792
Unemployment	3.2%	4.7%
Housing score	48	38
Jobs score	70	26
Safety score	78	53
Climate score	100	93
Amenities score	39	79
Population	235.7K	642.7K
Summer high / winter low	91° / 25°	80° / 38°

Boise, ID vs Portland, OR