Median rent is 21% lower in Boise City ($1,446/mo vs $1,835/mo). Buying is cheaper in Aurora, where the median home runs $469,100 versus $484,800. Households earn more in Aurora ($88,368 vs $83,904 a year).
City A
Aurora, CO
City B
Boise City, ID
How much would you need to earn in Boise City, ID to maintain your standard of living from Aurora, CO?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Aurora
Colorado
Boise City
Idaho
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Boise City — median rent of $1,446/mo versus $1,835/mo in Aurora, a 21% difference. Median home values are within 3% of each other: $469,100 in Aurora and $484,800 in Boise City.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Aurora
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Boise City
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Aurora has cleaner air on average: 27.0 AQI (Good) compared to 36.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Boise City if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,446/mo median).
Pick Aurora if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 27.0).
Is Aurora cheaper than Boise City?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Aurora vs Boise City?
Median rent is $1,835/mo in Aurora, CO and $1,446/mo in Boise City, ID. Boise City, ID has the lower rent by about 21%.
Which has higher salaries — Aurora or Boise City?
Median household income is $88,368 in Aurora, CO and $83,904 in Boise City, ID. Aurora, CO has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Aurora, CO has better air quality on average: 27.0 AQI versus 36.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Aurora or Boise City?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Boise City to match my Aurora income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
