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 | Boston | Cambridge | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,981/mo | $2,628/mo | 24.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $684,900 | $997,600 | 31.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $89,212 | $121,539 | 26.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 104.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 133.1 | 133.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 88.4 | 88.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 134.4 | 134.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Boston, you'd need $132,663 in Cambridge to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Boston, MA is about 24.6% cheaper overall than Cambridge, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Boston than in Cambridge. If you earn $80,000 in Boston, you'd need about $106,131 in Cambridge to keep the same standard of living.