What is the cost of living in Boston, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Boston has an overall cost of living index of 171, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Boston has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Massachusetts's index of 130.
The standard of living in Boston ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Boston ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Boston, check out:
Boston Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Boston. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Boston is 109.
The Groceries index in Boston is 122.
The Health index in Boston is 276.
The Housing index in Boston is 120.
The Transportation index in Boston is 127.
The Utilities index in Boston is 132.
| Living Expense | Boston | Massachusetts | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 171 | 130 | 100 |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 122 | 115 | 100 |
| Health | 276 | 168 | 100 |
| Housing | 120 | 117 | 100 |
| Transportation | 127 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 132 | 114 | 100 |
Boston Cost Of Living Compared To Massachusetts Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Massachusetts
- Most Affordable Cities In Massachusetts
- Average Rent In Massachusetts
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Boston, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Boston is $798,216.
The Median Rent in Boston is $2,147.
The Median Income in Boston is $97,344.
The Home Value To Income in Boston is 8.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Boston is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Boston | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $798,216 | $656,690 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,147 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $97,344 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.2x | 6.3x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Boston, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Boston Services costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Boston | 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 Boston Groceries costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Boston | 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 Boston Health costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Boston | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Boston Transportation costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Boston | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Boston Utilities costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Boston | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Boston SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Boston
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Boston. 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 204, 1.2x Boston.
Quincy, MA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Boston.
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.2x Boston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge, MA | 118,796 | 204 | 1.2x |
| Quincy, MA | 102,114 | 149 | 0.9x |
| Newton, MA | 89,044 | 205 | 1.2x |
| Somerville, MA | 81,036 | 186 | 1.1x |
| Malden, MA | 65,906 | 150 | 0.9x |
| Brookline, MA | 63,266 | 221 | 1.3x |
| Revere, MA | 60,012 | 138 | 0.8x |
| Everett, MA | 50,045 | 146 | 0.9x |
| Chelsea, MA | 39,908 | 134 | 0.8x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,295 | 209 | 1.2x |
