Moving to Idaho from New Mexico
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Mexico to Idaho — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Mexico to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 0.4% cheaper than New Mexico. A $75,000 salary in New Mexico would need to be roughly $73,970 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Mexico to Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $73,970
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.2% more
Groceries
pay 7.3% less
Transportation
pay 14.4% more
Housing
pay 2.0% less
Childcare
pay 2.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.9% 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 New Mexico to Idaho.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Idaho performs significantly better than New Mexico 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
Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
New Mexico generally does better on what about housing?, though Idaho leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Idaho performs significantly better than New Mexico 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
Idaho generally does better on employment & economy, though New Mexico leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
New Mexico 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 | Santa Fe | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/22°F (9°/-5°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/43°F (23°/6°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/53°F (28°/12°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/28°F (12°/-2°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santa Fe | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°/19°F (5.9°/-7.4°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/21°F (8.3°/-6.2°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 54°/27°F (12.3°/-2.6°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/33°F (17.4°/0.6°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 83°/52°F (28.3°/11.2°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 85°/56°F (29.6°/13.4°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/55°F (28.1°/12.8°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/9.1°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 65°/38°F (18.6°/3.1°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 53°/28°F (11.6°/-2.5°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 43°/19°F (6.2°/-7.4°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than New Mexico?
Costs in Idaho and New Mexico are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Idaho?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,492 in Idaho on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Idaho safe?
Idaho performs significantly better than New Mexico across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to New Mexico?
Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Mexico leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to New Mexico?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 64°F in Santa Fe. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Santa Fe gets 15.7 in.
