Cambridge, MA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Cambridge, MA Summary
Cost of living in Cambridge 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 Cambridge 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 Cambridge is 172, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Cambridge is 1.7x higher than the national average.
Cambridge ranks as the #102 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 113.
Cambridge ranks as the #6,149 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Cambridge is $888,000.
The median income in Cambridge is $112,565.
Table Of Contents
Cambridge's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Cambridge, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cambridge has an overall cost of living index of 172, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Cambridge has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Massachusetts's index of 143.
The standard of living in Cambridge ranks as #102 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Cambridge ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Cambridge, check out:
- Living In Cambridge
- Cambridge Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In Cambridge, MA
In Massachusetts
In America
Cambridge Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cambridge. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Cambridge is 126.
The Groceries index in Cambridge is 113.
The Health index in Cambridge is 119.
The Housing index in Cambridge is 293.
The Transportation index in Cambridge is 108.
The Utilities index in Cambridge is 122.
| Living Expense | Cambridge | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 172 | 143 | 100 | |
| Services | 126 | 126 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 108 | 100 | |
| Health | 119 | 117 | 100 | |
| Housing | 293 | 202 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 114 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 122 | 123 | 100 | |
Cambridge, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Cambridge is $888,000.
The Median Rent in Cambridge is $2,388.
The Median Income in Cambridge is $112,565.
The Home Value To Income in Cambridge is 7.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Cambridge is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Cambridge | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $888,000 | $424,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $2,388 | $1,429 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $112,565 | $89,026 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.9x | 4.8x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.19x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Cambridge, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Cambridge Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.0 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $14.43 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $21.0 | $14.67 |
| Haircut | $34.97 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $64.17 | $39.05 |
Detailed Cambridge Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $3.74 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.64 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.27 | $2.05 |
| Potatoes | $4.02 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $11.16 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $9.29 | $9.38 |
| Toothpaste | $2.3 | $2.34 |
Detailed Cambridge Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $102.75 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $194.0 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $108.27 | $99.13 |
Detailed Cambridge Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $2.19 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.47 | $50.07 |
Detailed Cambridge Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $233.87 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $181.11 | $175.64 |
Cambridge SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cambridge
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cambridge. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.1x Cambridge.
Somerville, MA has a cost of living index of 158, 0.9x Cambridge.
Malden, MA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.8x Cambridge.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, MA | 88,647 | 192 | 1.1x |
| Somerville, MA | 80,608 | 158 | 0.9x |
| Malden, MA | 65,602 | 137 | 0.8x |
| Brookline, MA | 62,620 | 191 | 1.1x |
| Medford, MA | 60,708 | 147 | 0.9x |
| Everett, MA | 48,368 | 137 | 0.8x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,045 | 162 | 0.9x |
| Chelsea, MA | 40,025 | 127 | 0.7x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,235 | 190 | 1.1x |
| Needham, MA | 31,808 | 180 | 1.0x |
