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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,393 per month in Ulm vs $2,575 in Boise, ID, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,491 per month in Ulm vs $3,655 in Boise, ID, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,590 per month in Ulm vs $4,735 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Ulm is about 7% cheaper than Boise, ID, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ulm and Boise, ID sit above the global median – Ulm by 79%, Boise, ID by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.03

$20.37 $20.37

-14.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.8

$63.9 $63.9

6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 €11.14

$11.07 $11.07

16.89%

Cappuccino

$3.80 €3.27

$6.33 $6.33

-39.97%

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

$3.75 €3.23

$2.65 $2.65

41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.20 $2.20

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 €4.14

$6.94 $6.94

-30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$7.07 $7.07

-33.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.92 $0.92

33.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$3.46 $3.46

-35.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$5.21 $5.21

-32.25%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.47

$3.99 $3.99

1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 €12.56

$12.65 $12.65

15.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 €13.09

$8.79 $8.79

72.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 €18.27

$13.48 $13.48

57.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.78

$4.97 $4.97

-35.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.65 $1.65

13.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.63 $3.63

-36.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.64

$4.91 $4.91

9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.37 $2.37

-35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.39

$2.22 $2.22

-27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.01 $2.01

-6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$2.16 $2.16

-43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 €8.51

$8.56 $8.56

15.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 €5.02

$15.85 $15.85

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.85 $1.85

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.54 $2.54

-31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 €2.87

$1.53 $1.53

117.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 €54.0

$41.89 $41.89

49.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 €3.22

$2.64 $2.64

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.54 $1.54

96.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.39 €23.59

$24.30 $24.30

12.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.93 $0.93

111.83%

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

$31.9K €27.5K

$34.0K $34.0K

-6.18%

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

$37.1K €31.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

45.40%

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

$388 €334

$135 $135

187.06%

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

$41.64 €35.86

$50.1 $50.1

-16.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 €47.87

$72.5 $72.5

-23.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.84 €31.72

$40.02 $40.02

-7.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 €10.16

$37.03 $37.03

-68.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 €11.99

$12.27 $12.27

13.45%

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

$464 €399

$1,244 $1,244

-62.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.3K

$23.4K $23.4K

-43.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.2

$59.5 $59.5

74.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 €50.5

$34.62 $34.62

69.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 €80.2

$89.7 $89.7

3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €122

$100.0 $100.0

41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 €987

$1,555 $1,555

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 €824

$1,389 $1,389

-31.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 €1,692

$2,445 $2,445

-19.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 €1,273

$1,998 $1,998

-26.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,088 €5,243

$7,237 $7,237

-15.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,067 €3,502

$3,099 $3,099

31.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,151 €3,574

$4,433 $4,433

-6.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

6.58

-39.36%

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

Last update for Ulm: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boise, ID: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,146 in Ulm versus $1,555 in Boise, ID. 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 7% 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 $68.0 in Ulm versus $64.0 in Boise, ID. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Ulm vs $368 in Boise, ID – 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

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

Boise, ID costs about 8% more than Ulm, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,589 per month in Ulm and $3,862 in Boise, ID. 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 $464 per month in Ulm and $1,244 in Boise, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $2,393, than in Boise, ID at $2,575. 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.