$120K in Minneapolis = $118,868 in Boise

Your $120K salary in Minneapolis (COL 106) has the same purchasing power as $118,868 in Boise (COL 105). Boise is cheaper โ€” your money goes 1% further there.

$120K in Minneapolis, MN
$6,165/mo take-home
Rent: $1,700/mo (28% of take-home)
Comfortable
$118,868/yr in Boise, ID
$6,513/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (25% of take-home)
Comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $120K in both cities

What $120K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Minneapolis
$120K
Boise
$120K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$6,165$6,575
1BR rent$1,700$1,600
Groceries$391$372
Transport$95$45
Utilities$195$145
Internet$65$60
Left after essentials$3,719/month$4,353/month
To match your Minneapolis purchasing power in Boise, you'd need to earn $118,868/year (1% less than $120K). At that salary, you'd have $4,291/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $3,719/mo in Minneapolis.

Frequently asked questions

What is $120K in Minneapolis equivalent to in Boise?

$120K in Minneapolis (COL index 106) has the same purchasing power as $118,868 in Boise (COL index 105). That's 1% less than your current salary.

If I move from Minneapolis to Boise keeping my $120K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $120K after moving to Boise, you'd have $634 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Boise is cheaper than Minneapolis.

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: $120K ร— (105 รท 106) = $118,868. 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