Moving to Idaho from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to Idaho? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 13.9% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $65,168 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $65,168
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 9.3% less
Groceries
pay 13.3% less
Transportation
pay 15.1% less
Housing
pay 17.6% less
Childcare
pay 27.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.8% 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 Washington.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Idaho performs significantly better than Washington 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
Washington performs better than Idaho across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Idaho performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Idaho leads in average commute.
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
Washington 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
Washington 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 | Olympia | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Washington?
On average Idaho is about 13% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Idaho?
Budget about $16,292 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 Washington across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Washington?
Washington performs better than Idaho across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
