$40K in Boise = $33,905 in Billings

Your $40K salary in Boise (COL 105) has the same purchasing power as $33,905 in Billings (COL 89). Billings is cheaper — your money goes 15% further there.

$40K in Boise, ID
$2,535/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (63% of take-home)
Difficult
$33,905/yr in Billings, MT
$2,120/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (57% 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
Billings
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,535$2,502
1BR rent$1,600$1,200
Groceries$372$369
Transport$45$42
Utilities$145$148
Internet$60$68
Left after essentials$313/month$675/month
To match your Boise purchasing power in Billings, you'd need to earn $33,905/year (15% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $293/mo left after essentials — vs $313/mo in Boise.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Boise (COL index 105) has the same purchasing power as $33,905 in Billings (COL index 89). That's 15% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Billings, you'd have $362 more per month after core expenses — because Billings 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 × (89 ÷ 105) = $33,905. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Boise to Billings

$50K → $42,381$60K → $50,857$75K → $63,571$80K → $67,810$100K → $84,762$120K → $101,714$150K → $127,143
$40K in Billings → BoiseMoving from Boise to BillingsBoise vs Billings — full comparisonCan I afford Boise vs Billings on $40K?

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