Spirit Lake, ID vs Buena Vista, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Buena Vista, CO has a modeled overall cost index 3.3% higher than Spirit Lake, ID.

Spirit Lake, ID · modeled 2BR rent: $1,320 / month
Buena Vista, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,310 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Spirit Lake, ID and Buena Vista, CO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Spirit Lake, ID

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $490/month in Buena Vista, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,118 in Buena Vista, CO

Regional cost estimates: Spirit Lake, ID uses Spokane, WA. Buena Vista, CO uses Colorado Springs, CO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 3.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$490

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.9K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Spirit Lake, ID

Population:2K

Cost Index:

85.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$569K

Buena Vista, CO

Population:3K

Cost Index:

88.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$657K

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Spirit Lake, ID

The Gem State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Idaho, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Buena Vista, CO

The Centennial State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 3K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Spirit Lake, ID vs Buena Vista, CO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Spirit Lake, ID	Buena Vista, CO	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,774/mo	$1,131/mo	↓ $643less	36.2%
Housing	$1,945/mo	$2,291/mo	↑ $346more	17.8%
Healthcare	$810/mo	$600/mo	↓ $209less	25.9%
Other	$1,439/mo	$1,595/mo	↑ $156more	10.8%
Groceries	$1,060/mo	$958/mo	↓ $102less	9.6%
All Utilities	$472/mo	$435/mo	↓ $37.45less	7.9%

Transportation

↓ 36.2%

Spirit Lake, ID

$1,774

Buena Vista, CO

$1,131

Difference

$643

less

Housing

↑ 17.8%

Spirit Lake, ID

$1,945

Buena Vista, CO

$2,291

Difference

$346

Healthcare

↓ 25.9%

Spirit Lake, ID

$810

Buena Vista, CO

$600

Difference

$209

less

Other

↑ 10.8%

Spirit Lake, ID

$1,439

Buena Vista, CO

$1,595

Difference

$156

Groceries

↓ 9.6%

Spirit Lake, ID

$1,060

Buena Vista, CO

$958

Difference

$102

less

All Utilities

↓ 7.9%

Spirit Lake, ID

$472

Buena Vista, CO

$435

Difference

$37.45

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$910

To$990

↑ $80.00

1 Bed

From$1,110

To$1,000

↓ $110

2 Bed

From$1,320

To$1,310

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,850

To$1,820

↓ $30.00

Spirit Lake, IDZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,110–$1,110/mo

Buena Vista, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,000–$1,000/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Spirit Lake, ID

$7,010

Monthly in Buena Vista, CO

$490

Difference

Home Values

Spirit Lake

Buena Vista

$569K

Median Value

$657K

↑ +3.7%

YoY Change

↑ +1.7%

↑ +43.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +41.3%

Homes in Buena Vista are 15% more expensive than Spirit Lake

Calculate payment - Spirit Lake Calculate payment - Buena Vista

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $9.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$803

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

6.4%

Rate difference

Spirit Lake, ID

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Idaho State Tax

Effective: 10.8%

$16.2K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.5%

$53.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,062/month

$96.7K

Buena Vista, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Additional Tax Information

Spirit Lake, ID Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:0.7%

Buena Vista, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Spirit Lake

Buena Vista

38 Good

Air Quality

49 Good

76.5%

Good Air Days

55.2%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

💨

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌪

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Spirit Lake, ID to Buena Vista, CO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Buena Vista, CO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Spirit Lake, ID. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Spirit Lake to Buena Vista moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Buena Vista, CO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Spirit Lake, ID vs Buena Vista, CO

How do the cost estimates for Spirit Lake, ID and Buena Vista, CO compare?

Buena Vista, CO has a modeled overall cost index 3.3% higher than Spirit Lake, ID. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Spirit Lake, ID, the model estimates $144,118 in Buena Vista, CO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Spirit Lake, ID and Buena Vista, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,320/month in Spirit Lake, ID and $1,310/month in Buena Vista, CO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Idaho and Colorado on TaxTakeHome.com