Moving to Idaho from Alaska
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Alaska to Idaho — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Alaska to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 9.7% cheaper than Alaska. A $75,000 salary in Alaska would need to be roughly $63,319 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boise averages 64°F vs 49°F in Juneau, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Alaska to Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $63,319
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 21.9% less
Groceries
pay 28.1% less
Transportation
pay 2.9% less
Housing
pay 27.0% less
Childcare
pay 46.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.6% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Alaska to Idaho.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Idaho performs significantly better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Idaho generally does better on what about housing?, though Alaska leads in median home value.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Alaska generally does better on infrastructure, though Idaho leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Alaska generally does better on employment & economy, though Idaho leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Alaska generally does better on family life, though Idaho leads in life expectancy.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Juneau | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Juneau | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Alaska?
Yes — Idaho is on average about 16% cheaper than Alaska. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Idaho?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,830 in Idaho on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Idaho safe?
Idaho performs significantly better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Alaska?
Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Alaska?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 49°F in Juneau. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Juneau gets 92.2 in.
