Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Ulm Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Ulm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Boise, ID vs $2,257 in Ulm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,707 per month in Boise, ID vs $3,446 in Ulm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,795 per month in Boise, ID vs $4,634 in Ulm, rent included.

Boise, ID costs about 16% more than Ulm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Boise, ID and Ulm sit above the global median – Boise, ID by 91%, Ulm by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.98 $19.98

$17.13 €14.72

16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$69.5 €59.8

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$14.21 €12.21

-6.69%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$4.15 €3.57

43.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.86 €4.18

-42.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.00 €1.72

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.81 €4.14

34.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.71 €4.05

37.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.50 €1.29

-34.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.12 €1.82

71.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.10 €3.53

48.54%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$3.75 €3.23

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$14.78 €12.71

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$10.54 €9.06

3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 $17.43

$26.62 €22.88

-34.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.59 €3.08

32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.41 €2.07

-26.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.06 €1.77

92.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.04 €3.48

21.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.08 €0.93

170.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.12 €0.96

130.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.70 €1.46

34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.25 €1.07

104.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 $9.21

$10.26 €8.82

-10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 $15.49

$5.91 €5.08

162.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.13 €0.97

83.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.53 €1.31

116.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.29 €2.83

-53.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.46 $41.46

$67.9 €58.4

-38.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 $24.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.05 €1.76

-45.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K $36.7K

$33.7K €28.9K

9.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

$40.3K €34.7K

-35.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$177 $177

$394 €339

-55.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.8 $59.8

$34.80 €29.92

71.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$54.9 €47.21

29.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 $38.80

$35.97 €30.93

7.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.06 $38.06

$23.39 €20.11

62.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.39 $12.39

$13.99 €12.03

-11.44%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$984 $984

$459 €395

114.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$13.3K €11.5K

81.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$93.8 €80.7

-41.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.77 $40.77

$58.8 €50.6

-30.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$96.1 €82.6

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$157 €135

-31.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$976 €839

65.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$774 €666

68.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 $2,401

$1,956 €1,681

22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,569 €1,349

12.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,230 $7,230

$6,053 €5,204

19.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,025 $3,025

$4,122 €3,544

-26.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,312 $4,312

$3,878 €3,334

11.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

3.97

53.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Boise, ID: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ulm: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Boise, ID versus $976 in Ulm. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Boise, ID, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Boise, ID versus $70.0 in Ulm. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in Boise, ID vs $353 in Ulm – so Ulm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Boise, ID vs Ulm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boise, ID costs about 16% more than Ulm, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Boise, ID and $3,385 in Ulm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $984 per month in Boise, ID and $459 in Ulm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Boise, ID, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulm, where all-in costs run around $2,257, than in Boise, ID at $2,620. In Ulm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boise, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ulm. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boise, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.