Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Seattle, WA
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 $4,516/mo in Seattle, WA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 29.11% in Seattle, WA, so Seattle, WA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Seattle, WA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Seattle, WA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Seattle, WA
- Lower home prices: Boston, MA
- Higher median household income: Seattle, WA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Seattle, WA: 152.4 (U.S. = 100)
Seattle, WA 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) · Seattle, WA: $1,898/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $91/mo higher than in Seattle, WA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Seattle, WA: $912,100
Median home price in Seattle, WA is $201,700 higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Seattle, WA: $121,984
Seattle, WA has a higher median household income than Boston, MA by $27,229.
Boston, MA overview · Seattle, WA overview · Popular comparisons