Moving to Kansas from Idaho

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Idaho to Kansas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Idaho to Kansas, you would find that Kansas is 5.8% cheaper than Idaho. A $75,000 salary in Idaho would need to be roughly $68,123 in Kansas to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Idaho to Kansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $68,123

To maintain the same standard of living in Kansas

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 8.4% less

Groceries

pay 0.5% more

Transportation

pay 11.2% less

Housing

pay 3.1% less

Childcare

pay 14.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.2% less

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Idaho to Kansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ID
226
KS
424
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ID
784
KS
2068

Idaho performs better than Kansas across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

ID
8.5%
KS
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

ID
33.5%
KS
36.8%

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

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

ID
$376,000
KS
$203,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

ID
$1,150
KS
$1,029

Kansas generally does better on what about housing?, though Idaho leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

ID
91.3%
KS
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

ID
22 min
KS
20 min

Idaho generally does better on infrastructure, though Kansas leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.5%
KS
3.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$49,054
KS
$60,996

Idaho generally does better on employment & economy, though Kansas leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

ID
19%
KS
23%

Idaho generally does better on family life, though Kansas leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Topeka Rain: 38.9 in/yr (989 mm)
66° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boise Topeka
Jan–Mar 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) 86°/63°F (30°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) 54°/32°F (12°/0°C)
View all months
Month Boise Topeka
Jan 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) 39°/19°F (4.1°/-7.3°C)
Feb 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) 44°/23°F (6.9°/-5.1°C)
Mar 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) 56°/32°F (13.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) 66°/43°F (19.1°/5.9°C)
May 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) 75°/53°F (24.1°/11.8°C)
Jun 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) 84°/63°F (28.9°/17.0°C)
Jul 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) 90°/68°F (32.2°/19.9°C)
Aug 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 89°/65°F (31.6°/18.6°C)
Sep 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) 80°/55°F (26.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) 67°/44°F (19.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) 54°/32°F (12.3°/0.2°C)
Dec 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) 41°/21°F (4.9°/-5.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Kansas than Idaho?

Yes — Kansas is on average about 9% cheaper than Idaho. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Kansas?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,031 in Kansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Kansas safe?

Idaho performs better than Kansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Kansas compared to Idaho?

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

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

The average high temperature in Topeka is 66°F, compared to 64°F in Boise. Topeka receives around 38.9 in of rainfall per year, while Boise gets 11.7 in.

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