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What does a Cooks, Fast Food salary really buy you in Idaho?
Idaho is 8.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Idaho's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.8, meaning prices are 8.2% lower the national average. A Cooks, Fast Food earning $31,070 in Idaho has the equivalent purchasing power of $33,845 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Idaho's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $18,620 | $20,283 | +$1,663 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $23,790 | $25,915 | +$2,125 |
| Median (P50) | $31,070 | $33,845 | +$2,775 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $33,540 | $36,535 | +$2,995 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $35,860 | $39,063 | +$3,203 |
A Cooks, Fast Food in Idaho earns $31,070 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $33,845 in an average-cost state. This makes Idaho one of the best value states for this occupation.
Idaho's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 91.8 means a basket of goods and services costs about 8.2% less than the national average. For a Cooks, Fast Food, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Idaho's RPP, the $31,070 median salary translates to $33,845 in real terms — a 8.9% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Cooks, Fast Food.
Idaho sits at #17 of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Cooks, Fast Food salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Idaho ranks #17 out of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Cooks, Fast Food take-home pay in Idaho after taxes →
A Cooks, Fast Food in Idaho earns a median salary of $31,070 per year. After adjusting for Idaho's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $33,845 — a +8.9% difference.
Idaho's cost of living is 8.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Idaho is 91.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cooks, Fast Food in Idaho: $31,070 x (100 / 91.8) = $33,845. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Fast Food in Idaho enjoys 8.9% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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