Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 27.93% in Oakland, CA, so Oakland, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Oakland, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Boston, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Oakland, CA
- Lower home prices: Boston, MA
- Higher median household income: Oakland, CA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Oakland, CA: 165.2 (U.S. = 100)
Boston, MA has a lower cost-of-living index than Oakland, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Oakland, CA: $1,821/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $168/mo higher than in Oakland, CA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Oakland, CA: $924,700
Median home price in Oakland, CA is $214,300 higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Oakland, CA: $97,369
Oakland, CA has a higher median household income than Boston, MA by $2,614.
Boston, MA overview · Oakland, CA overview · Popular comparisons