Suffolk County · Massachusetts
Cost of living in Boston, MA
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Living in Boston, MA costs 8.3% above the national average — an all-items price level of 108.3. To match the buying power of a $100,000 national-average salary you would need about $108,266 here.
- All items
- 108.3US average = 100
- Housing
- 148.448.4% above the national average
- Goods
- 99.7in line with the national average
- Other services
- 103.63.6% above the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 99.7 | -0.3% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 148.4 | +48.4% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 148.8 | +48.8% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 103.6 | +3.6% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Boston, MA
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (108.3 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $82,401
- Needed to match US average
- $96,586
- Monthly difference
- $615
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
The median household in Boston earns $89,212. Deflated by the local price level, that is $82,401 in national-average dollars — the BEA calls this real income, and it is simply income × 100 ÷ 108.3.
More on Boston
Same city, other datasets.
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.