Moving to Idaho from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Germany to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 7.1% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,374 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $71,206 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $71,206

To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 15.1% less

Groceries

pay 13.6% more

Transportation

pay 30.1% less

Housing

pay 26.1% more

Childcare

pay 68.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.15 USD (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Idaho

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Germany to Idaho, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
4,430 ↑ 6% vs 2022

people moved from Germany to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

DE
22.3%
ID
33.5%

Germany performs better than Idaho across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

DE
91.0%
ID
91.3%

Idaho performs significantly better than Germany across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.0%
ID
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
ID
$49,054

Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Idaho leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
81.5 yrs
ID
78.4 yrs

Germany performs better than Idaho across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Boise
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 87°/57°F (30°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 50°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Boise
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Germany passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Germany without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Germany?

Generally yes: Idaho runs about 5% cheaper than Germany 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 €65,374 comparable salary, that's around $17,802 in Idaho for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Idaho?

Working remotely from Idaho's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Germany and Idaho.

How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Germany?

Germany performs better than Idaho across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Idaho?

The official language in Idaho is English. In Germany, the official language is German.

Share this

At a Glance

DE
Population 84,316,622 1,567,582
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911