Moving to Idaho from Maine
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Maine to Idaho — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Maine to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 10.6% cheaper than Maine. A $75,000 salary in Maine would need to be roughly $69,593 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boise averages 64°F vs 77°F in Augusta, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Maine to Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $69,593
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 12.4% less
Groceries
pay 9.3% less
Transportation
pay 3.7% more
Housing
pay 11.8% less
Childcare
pay 35.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1% more
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 Maine to Idaho.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Maine generally does better on safety, though Idaho leads in property crime rate.
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
Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in adult smoking rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Maine performs better than Idaho across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Idaho performs significantly better than Maine across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Maine generally does better on employment & economy, though Idaho leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Maine 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 | Augusta | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/37°F (17°/3°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/67°F (33°/20°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/42°F (21°/6°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Augusta | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Maine?
Yes — Idaho is on average about 7% cheaper than Maine. 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 $17,398 in Idaho on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Idaho safe?
Maine generally does better on safety, though Idaho leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Maine?
Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in adult smoking rate.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Maine?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 77°F in Augusta. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Augusta gets 43.6 in.
