Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Los Angeles, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Boston, MA versus $3,974/mo in Los Angeles, CA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 25.99% in Los Angeles, CA, so Los Angeles, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Los Angeles, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Los Angeles, CA
- Lower home prices: Los Angeles, CA
- Higher median household income: Boston, MA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Los Angeles, CA: 148.6 (U.S. = 100)
Los Angeles, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Boston, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Los Angeles, CA: $1,695/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $294/mo higher than in Los Angeles, CA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Los Angeles, CA: $657,700
Median home price in Boston, MA is $52,700 higher than in Los Angeles, CA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Los Angeles, CA: $74,785
Boston, MA has a higher median household income than Los Angeles, CA by $19,970.
Boston, MA overview · Los Angeles, CA overview · Popular comparisons