Cost of Living in Boston, MA (2026)

Boston's cost of living is 8% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $92,365 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Boston has a cost-of-living index of 108 against a US average of 100 — about 8% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $92,365 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Boston

MeasureBostonUS average
Cost-of-living index108100
Median rent$2,093/mo-
Median home value$710,400-
Median household income$94,755-
Population663,972-

Monthly cost breakdown in Boston

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$2,093$4,126
Transport$1,402$1,402
Food$1,103$1,103
Healthcare$692$692
Other$2,462$2,462
Total$7,752$9,785

Affordability in Boston

Median rent takes about 26.5% of the median household income in Boston — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 7.5x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Boston

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Software Developer$159,827$147,624
Data Scientist$145,640$134,521
Financial Analyst$129,095$119,239
Physical Therapist$118,696$109,634
Project Manager$116,207$107,335
Web Developer$112,018$103,466
Registered Nurse$110,893$102,426
Mechanical Engineer$108,959$100,640

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Boston’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Boston has a cost-of-living index of 108 against a US average of 100, so it is about 8% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Boston has roughly the purchasing power of $92,365 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Boston's median rent of $2,093/month that implies about $83,720 a year before tax. The median household in Boston earns $94,755.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $7,752 a month in Boston across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $9,785 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Boston costs $710,400, which is 7.5x the median household income of $94,755. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Boston is expensive relative to local incomes.