Marlborough, MA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Marlborough, MA Summary

Cost of living in Marlborough 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 Marlborough 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 Marlborough is 138, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Marlborough is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Marlborough ranks as the #53 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Marlborough ranks as the #5,329 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Marlborough is $572,014.

  • The median income in Marlborough is $95,047.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
138
Marlborough's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Marlborough, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marlborough has an overall cost of living index of 138, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Marlborough has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Marlborough ranks as #53 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Marlborough ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Marlborough, check out:

53 out of 112
In Massachusetts
5,329 out of 6,489
In America

Marlborough Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

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

  • The Services index in Marlborough is 122.

  • The Groceries index in Marlborough is 106.

  • The Health index in Marlborough is 115.

  • The Housing index in Marlborough is 188.

  • The Transportation index in Marlborough is 119.

  • The Utilities index in Marlborough is 132.

Living Expense Marlborough Massachusetts National Average
Overall 138 134 100
Services 122 121 100
Groceries 106 106 100
Health 115 112 100
Housing 188 164 100
Transportation 119 120 100
Utilities 132 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Marlborough Cost of Living Vs. MA

Marlborough, 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 Marlborough is $572,014.

  • The Median Rent in Marlborough is $1,721.

  • The Median Income in Marlborough is $95,047.

  • The Home Value To Income in Marlborough is 6.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Marlborough is 0.22x.

Statistic Marlborough Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $572,014 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $1,721 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $95,047 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.0x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$572,014
Median Home Value
$1,721
Median Rent
$95,047
Median Income

Marlborough, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Marlborough Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Marlborough 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 Marlborough Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Marlborough 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 Marlborough Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

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

Detailed Marlborough Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

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

Detailed Marlborough Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

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

Marlborough SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
7
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Marlborough

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Marlborough. 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 208, 1.5x Marlborough.

  • Waltham, MA has a cost of living index of 167, 1.2x Marlborough.

  • Lexington, MA has a cost of living index of 211, 1.5x Marlborough.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Marlborough
Newton, MA 88,504 208 1.5x
Waltham, MA 64,723 167 1.2x
Lexington, MA 34,085 211 1.5x
Needham, MA 32,059 202 1.5x
Wellesley, MA 29,906 243 1.8x
Belmont, MA 27,009 204 1.5x
Hudson, MA 15,610 134 1.0x
Maynard, MA 10,663 138 1.0x
Clinton, MA 6,908 123 0.9x
Northborough, MA 6,720 145 1.1x

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