$40K in Boise = $30,476 in Amarillo

Your $40K salary in Boise (COL 105) has the same purchasing power as $30,476 in Amarillo (COL 80). Amarillo is cheaper — your money goes 24% further there.

$40K in Boise, ID
$2,535/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (63% of take-home)
Difficult
$30,476/yr in Amarillo, TX
$2,079/mo take-home
Rent: $950/mo (46% of take-home)
Difficult

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Boise
$40K
Amarillo
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,535$2,728
1BR rent$1,600$950
Groceries$372$346
Transport$45$38
Utilities$145$170
Internet$60$60
Left after essentials$313/month$1,164/month
To match your Boise purchasing power in Amarillo, you'd need to earn $30,476/year (24% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $515/mo left after essentials — vs $313/mo in Boise.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in Boise equivalent to in Amarillo?

$40K in Boise (COL index 105) has the same purchasing power as $30,476 in Amarillo (COL index 80). That's 24% less than your current salary.

If I move from Boise to Amarillo keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Amarillo, you'd have $851 more per month after core expenses — because Amarillo is cheaper than Boise.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $40K × (80 ÷ 105) = $30,476. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Boise to Amarillo

$50K → $38,095$60K → $45,714$75K → $57,143$80K → $60,952$100K → $76,190$120K → $91,429$150K → $114,286
$40K in Amarillo → BoiseMoving from Boise to AmarilloBoise vs Amarillo — full comparisonCan I afford Boise vs Amarillo on $40K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only