$100K in Lexington = $97,753 in Idaho Falls

Your $100K salary in Lexington (COL 89) has the same purchasing power as $97,753 in Idaho Falls (COL 87). Idaho Falls is cheaper โ€” your money goes 2% further there.

$100K in Lexington, KY
$5,988/mo take-home
Rent: $1,350/mo (23% of take-home)
Comfortable
$97,753/yr in Idaho Falls, ID
$5,706/mo take-home
Rent: $1,100/mo (19% of take-home)
Very comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $100K in both cities

What $100K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Lexington
$100K
Idaho Falls
$100K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$5,988$5,838
1BR rent$1,350$1,100
Groceries$365$365
Transport$60$35
Utilities$158$142
Internet$60$65
Left after essentials$3,995/month$4,131/month
To match your Lexington purchasing power in Idaho Falls, you'd need to earn $97,753/year (2% less than $100K). At that salary, you'd have $3,999/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $3,995/mo in Lexington.

Frequently asked questions

What is $100K in Lexington equivalent to in Idaho Falls?

$100K in Lexington (COL index 89) has the same purchasing power as $97,753 in Idaho Falls (COL index 87). That's 2% less than your current salary.

If I move from Lexington to Idaho Falls keeping my $100K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $100K after moving to Idaho Falls, you'd have $136 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Idaho Falls is cheaper than Lexington.

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: $100K ร— (87 รท 89) = $97,753. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

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