City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Cambridge | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,902/mo | $2,628/mo | 27.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $839,200 | $997,600 | 15.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $136,312 | $121,539 | 12.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.0 | 101.2 | 1.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 133.9 | 144.1 | 7.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.3 | 99.0 | 2.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 112.8 | 7.9% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $107,056 in Cambridge to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Arlington, MA is about 6.6% cheaper overall than Cambridge, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 10% lower in Arlington than in Cambridge. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $85,645 in Cambridge to keep the same standard of living.