Belmont, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Belmont, MA Summary

Cost of living in Belmont research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Belmont is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Belmont is 204, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Belmont is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • Belmont ranks as the #105 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Belmont ranks as the #6,334 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Belmont is $1,435,670.

  • The median income in Belmont is $178,188.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
204
Belmont's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Belmont, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Belmont has an overall cost of living index of 204, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Belmont has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Belmont ranks as #105 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Belmont ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Belmont, check out:

105 out of 112
In Massachusetts
6,334 out of 6,489
In America

Belmont Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Belmont. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Belmont is 121.

  • The Groceries index in Belmont is 106.

  • The Health index in Belmont is 114.

  • The Housing index in Belmont is 407.

  • The Transportation index in Belmont is 118.

  • The Utilities index in Belmont is 133.

Living Expense Belmont Massachusetts National Average
Overall 204 134 100
Services 121 121 100
Groceries 106 106 100
Health 114 112 100
Housing 407 164 100
Transportation 118 120 100
Utilities 133 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Belmont Cost of Living Vs. MA

Belmont, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Belmont is $1,435,670.

  • The Median Rent in Belmont is $2,387.

  • The Median Income in Belmont is $178,188.

  • The Home Value To Income in Belmont is 8.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Belmont is 0.16x.

Statistic Belmont Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $1,435,670 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $2,387 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $178,188 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.1x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,435,670
Median Home Value
$2,387
Median Rent
$178,188
Median Income

Belmont, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Belmont Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Belmont Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $15.49 $12.13
Bowling $29.33 $18
Haircut $43.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.56 $45.56

Detailed Belmont Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Belmont Massachusetts
Ground Beef $5.48 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $12.52 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.53 $3.7

Detailed Belmont Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Belmont Massachusetts
Optometrist $123.17 $125.68
Doctor $157.89 $135.78
Dentist $149.22 $113.29

Detailed Belmont Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Belmont Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $97.39 $59.92

Detailed Belmont Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Belmont Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.72 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Belmont SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Belmont

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Belmont. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 201, 1.0x Belmont.

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.0x Belmont.

  • Somerville, MA has a cost of living index of 184, 0.9x Belmont.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Belmont
Cambridge, MA 117,794 201 1.0x
Newton, MA 88,504 208 1.0x
Somerville, MA 80,549 184 0.9x
Waltham, MA 64,723 167 0.8x
Brookline, MA 62,822 221 1.1x
Medford, MA 59,062 163 0.8x
Arlington, MA 46,015 179 0.9x
Lexington, MA 34,085 211 1.0x
Needham, MA 32,059 202 1.0x
Wellesley, MA 29,906 243 1.2x

Articles About Massachusetts

Enjoy The Snack?