What is the cost of living in Somerville, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Somerville has an overall cost of living index of 186, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Somerville has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Massachusetts's index of 130.
The standard of living in Somerville ranks as #102 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Somerville ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Somerville, check out:
Somerville Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Somerville. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Somerville is 108.
The Groceries index in Somerville is 118.
The Health index in Somerville is 346.
The Housing index in Somerville is 120.
The Transportation index in Somerville is 124.
The Utilities index in Somerville is 117.
| Living Expense | Somerville | Massachusetts | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 186 | 130 | 100 |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 118 | 115 | 100 |
| Health | 346 | 168 | 100 |
| Housing | 120 | 117 | 100 |
| Transportation | 124 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 117 | 114 | 100 |
Somerville 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
Somerville, 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 Somerville is $940,239.
The Median Rent in Somerville is $2,517.
The Median Income in Somerville is $132,572.
The Home Value To Income in Somerville is 7.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Somerville is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Somerville | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $940,239 | $656,690 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,517 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $132,572 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.1x | 6.3x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Somerville, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Somerville Services costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Somerville | 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 Somerville Groceries costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Somerville | 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 Somerville Health costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Somerville | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Somerville Transportation costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Somerville | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Somerville Utilities costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Somerville | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Somerville SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Somerville
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Somerville. 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, 1.1x Somerville.
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.1x Somerville.
Malden, MA has a cost of living index of 150, 0.8x Somerville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge, MA | 118,796 | 204 | 1.1x |
| Newton, MA | 89,044 | 205 | 1.1x |
| Malden, MA | 65,906 | 150 | 0.8x |
| Brookline, MA | 63,266 | 221 | 1.2x |
| Medford, MA | 59,354 | 162 | 0.9x |
| Everett, MA | 50,045 | 146 | 0.8x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,350 | 173 | 0.9x |
| Chelsea, MA | 39,908 | 134 | 0.7x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,295 | 209 | 1.1x |
| Needham, MA | 32,459 | 203 | 1.1x |
