Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Boston, MA 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Boston, MA is 9.5% higher than in Cambridge, MA (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Boston, MA is 10.9% higher than in Cambridge, MA | |
| Rent Prices in Boston, MA are 12.8% higher than in Cambridge, MA | |
| Restaurant Prices in Boston, MA are 21.0% higher than in Cambridge, MA | |
| Groceries Prices in Boston, MA are 4.0% higher than in Cambridge, MA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Boston, MA is 12.3% lower than in Cambridge, MA | |
Restaurants | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 17.00 $ | 25.00 $ | +47.1 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 127.50 $ | +27.5 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 11.25 $ | -6.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 9.00 $ | +12.5 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.50 $ | 5.59 $ | +1.7 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.01 $ | 3.01 $ | 0.0 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.39 $ | 2.39 $ | 0.0 % |
Markets | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.22 $ | 4.87 $ | +15.4 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.63 $ | 3.78 $ | +4.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.94 $ | 2.94 $ | 0.0 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.73 $ | 4.73 $ | 0.0 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.87 $ | 7.66 $ | +11.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.17 $ | 6.17 $ | 0.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.33 $ | 9.33 $ | 0.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.09 $ | 2.63 $ | -14.7 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.86 $ | 0.97 $ | +12.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.90 $ | 2.90 $ | 0.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.90 $ | 3.52 $ | +21.2 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.48 $ | 2.07 $ | +39.5 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.62 $ | 1.69 $ | +4.8 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.42 $ | 2.80 $ | +15.8 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.56 $ | 2.56 $ | 0.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 16.50 $ | +10.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.73 $ | 2.89 $ | +67.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 5.58 $ | 5.58 $ | 0.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 13.66 $ | 13.66 $ | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.45 $ | 2.40 $ | -2.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 90.00 $ | 90.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.60 $ | 2.60 $ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.80 $ | 2.80 $ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 28.00 $ | 28.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.33 $ | 3.46 $ | +3.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 29,523.69 $ | 30,000.00 $ | +1.6 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 25,293.30 $ | 25,110.27 $ | -0.7 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 158.55 $ | 194.41 $ | +22.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 52.75 $ | 57.82 $ | +9.6 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 56.25 $ | 78.14 $ | +38.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 100.00 $ | 80.68 $ | -19.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 30.00 $ | 31.00 $ | +3.3 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.50 $ | 15.50 $ | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,793.33 $ | 2,793.33 $ | 0.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 27,500.00 $ | 27,500.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 66.67 $ | 66.67 $ | 0.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 44.58 $ | 44.58 $ | 0.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 101.67 $ | 102.48 $ | +0.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 146.67 $ | 148.08 $ | +1.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,837.50 $ | 3,415.82 $ | +20.4 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 2,866.67 $ | 2,587.27 $ | -9.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 5,100.00 $ | 6,158.48 $ | +20.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 3,525.00 $ | 3,995.38 $ | +13.3 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 458.97 $ | 851.73 $ | +85.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 458.97 $ | 566.44 $ | +23.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Cambridge, MA Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 6,107.20 $ | 5,939.64 $ | -2.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.43 | 6.43 | 0.0 % |
| Last update: | 15 May 2025 | 12 June 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 15 | 152 |
Moving to Cambridge, MA? Explore:
Moving to Boston, MA? Explore:
Cities near Cambridge, MA: | Cost of Living in Somerville, Massachusetts | 1.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Boston, Massachusetts | 3.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Allston, Massachusetts | 3.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Everett, Massachusetts | 4.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Medford, Massachusetts | 5.52 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malden, Massachusetts | 5.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chelsea, Massachusetts | 5.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newton, Massachusetts | 7.96 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woburn, Massachusetts | 9.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Saugus, Massachusetts | 12.24 miles |
Cities near Boston, MA: | Cost of Living in Malden, Massachusetts | 5.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Natick, Massachusetts | 18.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tewksbury, Massachusetts | 23.94 miles |
| Cost of Living in Brockton, Massachusetts | 24.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Acton, Massachusetts | 24.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ashland, Massachusetts | 25.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Beverly, Massachusetts | 28.08 miles |
| Cost of Living in Attleboro, Massachusetts | 39.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Pawtucket, Rhode Island | 45.73 miles |
| Cost of Living in Providence, Rhode Island | 51.26 miles |