Moving to Idaho from Minnesota
What to Expect
Considering a move from Minnesota to Idaho? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Minnesota to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 5.0% cheaper than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly $73,750 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Minnesota and Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $73,750
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.8% less
Groceries
pay 8.8% less
Transportation
pay 4.0% less
Housing
pay 0.5% more
Childcare
pay 12.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.0% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Idaho compared to Minnesota.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Idaho performs significantly better than Minnesota 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
Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Minnesota generally does better on what about housing?, though Idaho leads in median rent.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Idaho performs significantly better than Minnesota 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
Minnesota 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
Minnesota performs better than Idaho across all family life metrics.
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 | Saint Paul | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Saint Paul | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Minnesota?
Idaho and Minnesota are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Idaho?
Budget about $18,438 for 3 months in Idaho (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Idaho safe?
Idaho performs significantly better than Minnesota across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Minnesota?
Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Minnesota?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in.
