West ranking
8 Idaho cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 83
Index 100
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pocatello | 83 | $790/mo | $56,115 | 57K | Compare → |
| 2 | Twin Falls | 85 | $952/mo | $58,024 | 52K | Compare → |
| 3 | Idaho Falls | 90 | $931/mo | $66,463 | 66K | Compare → |
| 4 | Caldwell | 99 | $1,012/mo | $65,259 | 61K | Compare → |
| 5 | Nampa | 99 | $1,201/mo | $67,346 | 103K | Compare → |
| 6 | Coeur d'Alene | 99 | $1,212/mo | $65,786 | 55K | Compare → |
| 7 | Boise City | 99 | $1,223/mo | $76,402 | 234K | Compare → |
| 8 | Meridian | 100 | $1,548/mo | $93,296 | 120K | Compare → |
Idaho has a handful of real selling points, and they're concrete rather than vague. Living costs come in under the national baseline and real mountains, not just hills are the headliners, plus 2 more.
Idaho averages a cost-of-living index of roughly 94 across its cities, about 6% under the national average. Different cities vary — see the full ranking above — but the overall state picture is on the affordable side. Average median rent across Idaho cities runs about $1,109/mo.
Mountains are part of the everyday view in Idaho, not a destination. That means cheaper proximity to skiing, hiking, and fishing than most of the country, and a culture that's tilted toward time outside whether you signed up for it or not.
Cold-winter climates aren't for everyone, but for people who like the seasons to be different from each other, Idaho delivers. Snow accumulates, lakes freeze, fires get used for warmth and not just decoration — and spring genuinely feels like a relief when it arrives.
Whatever the population number says, Idaho feels less crowded than the rest of the country — long drives without traffic, towns that haven't been swallowed by sprawl, and a baseline level of quiet that's just structurally unavailable in denser states.
Reasons reflect aggregated city data for Idaho (Census ACS, BLS, BEA) plus well-known state-level geography. We only list points that are actually supported — different states show different sections.
Across Idaho, Pocatello is the most affordable city we track (cost index 83, with median rent around $790/mo), while Meridian sits at the top of the range with an index of 100—roughly 21% pricier than Pocatello. Use the table above to compare any Idaho city directly against Pocatello.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.