Moving to Idaho from Florida

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Florida to Idaho — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Florida to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 3.9% cheaper than Florida. A $75,000 salary in Florida would need to be roughly $66,650 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boise averages 64°F vs 80°F in Tallahassee, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Florida to Idaho.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $66,650

To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 8.8% less

Groceries

pay 11.4% less

Transportation

pay 2.0% less

Housing

pay 20.6% less

Childcare

pay 9.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown

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

How Florida and Idaho stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

FL
280
ID
226
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

FL
1461
ID
784

Idaho performs significantly better than Florida across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

FL
11.0%
ID
8.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

FL
32.6%
ID
33.5%

Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Florida leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

FL
$325,000
ID
$376,000
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

FL
$1,564
ID
$1,150

Idaho generally does better on what about housing?, though Florida leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

FL
90.4%
ID
91.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

FL
28 min
ID
22 min

Idaho performs significantly better than Florida across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

FL
4.4%
ID
3.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

FL
$57,636
ID
$49,054

Idaho generally does better on employment & economy, though Florida leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

FL
77.5 yrs
ID
78.4 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

FL
22%
ID
19%

Florida 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.

Tallahassee Rain: 59.2 in/yr (1504 mm)
80° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Boise Rain: 11.7 in/yr (298 mm)
64° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tallahassee Boise
Jan–Mar 68°/43°F (20°/6°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/71°F (33°/22°C) 87°/57°F (30°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/48°F (23°/9°C) 50°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Tallahassee Boise
Jan 64°/39°F (17.5°/3.9°C) 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C)
Feb 67°/42°F (19.7°/5.5°C) 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C)
Mar 74°/47°F (23.2°/8.4°C) 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C)
Apr 80°/52°F (26.6°/11.3°C) 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C)
May 87°/62°F (30.6°/16.4°C) 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C)
Jun 91°/69°F (32.8°/20.8°C) 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C)
Jul 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.2°C) 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C)
Aug 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.3°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Sep 88°/68°F (31.3°/20.1°C) 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 81°/57°F (27.4°/14.1°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C)
Nov 73°/47°F (22.8°/8.6°C) 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C)
Dec 65°/41°F (18.5°/5.1°C) 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Florida?

Generally yes: Idaho runs about 11% cheaper than Florida on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Idaho?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $16,662 in Idaho for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Idaho safe?

Idaho performs significantly better than Florida across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Florida?

Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Florida leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Florida?

The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 80°F in Tallahassee. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tallahassee gets 59.2 in.

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