Spirit Lake, ID vs St. Anthony, ID

The cost of living difference between Spirit Lake, ID and St. Anthony, ID is dramatic. St. Anthony is 35.2% cheaper than Spirit Lake, a gap that translates to thousands of dollars per year in household expenses. Spirit Lake has a cost index of 96 while St. Anthony sits at 71, making this one of the more striking comparisons on our site. Relocating between these cities would require a serious reassessment of budget and lifestyle expectations.

On the housing front, median rent in Spirit Lake is $1,003/month compared to $729/month in St. Anthony — a 38% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: St. Anthony is more affordable at $199,600 median vs $380,800.

Median household income in Spirit Lake is $60,938 compared to $52,446 in St. Anthony (+16.2%). Spirit Lake does offer higher incomes, but the salary premium barely offsets the higher cost of living, leaving residents with a tighter budget. Looking at affordability, residents of Spirit Lake spend roughly 19.8% of their income on rent, more than the 16.7% in St. Anthony.