Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Moscow, Idaho
A $352,000 home here costs
$2,581per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,810. The real number is $772 higher every month — 43% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Moscow against Latah County and Idaho
| Measure | Moscow | Latah County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $352,000 | $342,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,770 | $2,333 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.787% | 0.681% |
| Median gross rent | $902 | $905 |
| Population | 25,868 | 40,315 |
The weather behind that power bill
Moscow sits in Latah County, which averages a high of 83.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.9°F in its coldest, with 17.53" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 284 cooling and 6,253 heating degree days, which is what sets the $111 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Latah County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Latah County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Moscow?
A $352,000 home in Moscow, Idaho costs approximately $2,581 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,810 principal and interest, $231 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $179 utilities and $293 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Moscow?
Moscow has an effective property tax rate of 0.787%, based on a median home value of $352,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,770. That is higher than the Latah County average of 0.681%.
What is the average home price in Moscow?
The median owner-occupied home value in Moscow, Idaho is $352,000, against $342,500 across Latah County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Moscow?
Median gross rent in Moscow is $902 a month, against $2,581 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Moscow — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Idaho.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.