Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Washington, DC 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Washington, DC is 4.7% lower than in Boston, MA (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Washington, DC is 4.1% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Rent Prices in Washington, DC are 3.4% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Restaurant Prices in Washington, DC are 2.9% higher than in Boston, MA | |
| Groceries Prices in Washington, DC are 13.8% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Washington, DC is 10.9% higher than in Boston, MA | |
Restaurants | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 22.50 $ | 25.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 100.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 12.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 10.00 $ | 9.00 $ | -10.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.62 $ | 5.46 $ | -2.8 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.86 $ | 2.46 $ | -13.9 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.56 $ | 2.22 $ | -13.3 % |
Markets | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.84 $ | 4.20 $ | -13.1 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 4.00 $ | 3.60 $ | -10.0 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.77 $ | 2.21 $ | -20.2 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.79 $ | 3.79 $ | -20.9 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 9.50 $ | 6.62 $ | -30.3 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.42 $ | 5.74 $ | -10.6 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.43 $ | 7.89 $ | -16.3 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.59 $ | 2.34 $ | -9.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.96 $ | 0.92 $ | -4.6 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.83 $ | 2.35 $ | -17.2 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.95 $ | 2.63 $ | -10.9 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.72 $ | 1.51 $ | -12.6 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.70 $ | 1.46 $ | -14.3 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.75 $ | 2.67 $ | -2.7 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.53 $ | 2.57 $ | +1.6 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 15.99 $ | +6.6 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.90 $ | 2.55 $ | +34.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 5.25 $ | 4.51 $ | -14.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 13.66 $ | 12.11 $ | -11.4 % |
Transportation | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.40 $ | 2.50 $ | +4.2 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 90.00 $ | 77.50 $ | -13.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.80 $ | 3.50 $ | +25.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.80 $ | 4.00 $ | +42.9 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 28.00 $ | 30.00 $ | +7.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.58 $ | 3.66 $ | +2.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 30,000.00 $ | 35,699.74 $ | +19.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 24,095.29 $ | 26,275.78 $ | +9.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 197.39 $ | 178.64 $ | -9.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 57.11 $ | 55.72 $ | -2.4 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 69.92 $ | 63.73 $ | -8.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 95.56 $ | 104.29 $ | +9.1 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 25.83 $ | 31.22 $ | +20.8 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 16.00 $ | 15.50 $ | -3.1 % |
Childcare | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,416.67 $ | 2,326.57 $ | -3.7 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 28,000.00 $ | 48,250.00 $ | +72.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 58.78 $ | 73.41 $ | +24.9 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 44.64 $ | 50.96 $ | +14.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 92.89 $ | 115.93 $ | +24.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 155.69 $ | 173.48 $ | +11.4 % |
Rent Per Month | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 3,114.44 $ | 2,496.43 $ | -19.8 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 2,275.21 $ | 2,052.72 $ | -9.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 5,183.91 $ | 5,386.84 $ | +3.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 3,561.36 $ | 3,725.00 $ | +4.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 846.53 $ | 841.88 $ | -0.5 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 465.08 $ | 582.34 $ | +25.2 % |
Salaries And Financing | Boston, MA Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,607.52 $ | 5,960.12 $ | +6.3 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.55 | 6.54 | -0.1 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 146 | 139 |
Moving to Boston, MA? Explore:
Moving to Washington, DC? Explore:
Cities near Boston, MA: | Cost of Living in Natick, Massachusetts | 18.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ashland, Massachusetts | 25.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Providence, Rhode Island | 51.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Manchester, New Hampshire | 52.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Providence, Rhode Island | 54.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Concord, New Hampshire | 67.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Springfield, Massachusetts | 90.79 miles |
| Cost of Living in Westfield, Massachusetts | 96.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hartford, Connecticut | 101.66 miles |
| Cost of Living in Northampton, Massachusetts | 103.73 miles |
Cities near Washington, DC: | Cost of Living in Arlington, Virginia | 4.38 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland | 7.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Springfield, Virginia | 13.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rockville, Maryland | 17.91 miles |
| Cost of Living in Baltimore, Maryland | 38.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fredericksburg, Virginia | 52.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lexington Park, Maryland | 61.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Richmond, Virginia | 106.83 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 113.70 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 117.62 miles |