2023 Report: Cities in Idaho where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest
How does living in the Gem State affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Idaho’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities. On average, Idaho’s household expenses, doxo’s data reveals, are $1,938 per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 23 cities and towns across Idaho, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Idaho and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Idaho’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Idaho residents pay $1,938 in household bills a month
The average Idaho household pays $1,938 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are:Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Idaho residents pay below-average household bill expenses: the state ranks 27th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Slightly more expensive than Idaho is Wisconsin, where residents pay $1,977 a month on average; slightly more affordable is Maine, where residents pay $1,934.
The most expensive state for household expenses is Hawaii, where residents pay $3,070 per month. The most affordable state, meanwhile, is West Virginia, where bills average $1,530 per month.
Idaho’s household expenses, on average, are 5.3% lower than the national average of $2,046.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Idaho households spend 40% of their income on household costs, which is a higher share than many states where households pay more expensive bills. For example, New Jersey residents, though they live in the third most expensive state for bills, spend just 35% of household income on them.
Annually, Idaho residents pay $13 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Idaho by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Idaho
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,938 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $13 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 27 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 40%
- Difference from the National Average: 5.3% lower
Lower housing costs drive Idaho households’ savings
The average Idaho household pays $1,938 in the 10 most common household bills per month. The substantially lower costs in the housing bill categories account for the size of the savings that Idahoans enjoy. Mortgage, at $1,165 on average per month in Idaho, is 12% lower than the national average of $1,321. Rent in the Gem State is 18% lower than the national average: at $975 compared to $1,191.
Cable and internet is also a category where Idahoans save substantially compared to the national average. The average Idaho household spends $101 on their cable package per month compared to the national average of $118.
Health insurance, however, is an area in which Idaho’s residents spend more than the national average. The average household in the state pays $155 a month for health insurance bills, compared to the national average of $120, making the costs 29% higher than the national average.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Idaho Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Idaho Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Idaho Percent +/- National Average ($2,046) |
| Mortgage | $1,165 | $1,321 | 12% lower |
| Rent | $975 | $1,191 | 18% lower |
| Auto Loan | $510 | $467 | 9% higher |
| Utilities | $321 | $351 | 9% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $206 | $207 | 0.5% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $101 | $118 | 14% lower |
| Health Insurance | $155 | $120 | 29% higher |
| Mobile Phone | $115 | $119 | 3% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $72 | $84 | 14% lower |
| Life Insurance | $85 | $89 | 4% lower |
| Total | $1,938 | $2,046 | 5.3% lower |
Moscow is the most expensive area for Idaho’s household bills
Residents of Moscow pay the highest household bills in the state of Idaho, at an average of $2,278 per month. Kuna comes in second in the rankings, with residents paying an average of $2,230 on household expenses.
Kuna residents, though they pay some of the most expensive bills in the state, spend a lower share of household income on bills compared to the state average: 37% compared to 40%.
Also on the list of the most expensive areas to pay household bills in Idaho are Sandpoint ($2,183 per month), Twin Falls ($2,163 per month), and Eagle ($2,138 per month).
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
5 Most Expensive Idaho Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-5 out of 23) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Moscow | $2,278 | 60% |
| 2 | Kuna | $2,230 | 37% |
| 3 | Sandpoint | $2,183 | 49% |
| 4 | Twin Falls | $2,163 | 50% |
| 5 | Eagle | $2,138 | 29% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Burley is the most affordable place in Idaho for household bills
Out of 23 cities and towns for which doxoINSIGHTS provides data, Burley is the most affordable place in Idaho, with residents paying $1,650 on average for household bills. They spend a slightly lower share of their income on household bills than the Idaho average, too, at 38%.
Caldwell is second most affordable area on the list, with residents paying an average of $1,663 on household bills.
Also on the list of most affordable cities and towns in Idaho are Emmett ($1,689 a month), Jerome ($1,694 a month), and Idaho Falls ($1,725 a month).
5 Most Affordable Idaho Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (19-23 out of 23) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 19 | Idaho Falls | $1,725 | 33% |
| 20 | Jerome | $1,694 | 36% |
| 21 | Emmett | $1,689 | 39% |
| 22 | Caldwell | $1,663 | 36% |
| 23 | Burley | $1,650 | 38% |
Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Idaho’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 4,200 towns and cities across the country.