Cost of Living: Lowell, MA vs Cambridge, MA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Lowell, MA versus $4,224/mo in Cambridge, MA. In the model, rent is about 23.37% of gross in Lowell, MA versus 39.96% in Cambridge, MA, so Lowell, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Lowell, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Cambridge, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Lowell, MA
23.37%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Cambridge, MA
39.96%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Lowell, MA and Cambridge, MA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Cambridge, MA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Lowell, MA
  • Lower home prices: Lowell, MA
  • Higher median household income: Cambridge, MA

Cost of Living Index

Lowell, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Cambridge, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Lowell, MA: $1,523/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Cambridge, MA: $2,605/mo

Median rent in Cambridge, MA is $1,082/mo higher than in Lowell, MA.

Median Home Price

Lowell, MA: $395,100 · Cambridge, MA: $1,040,500

Median home price in Cambridge, MA is $645,400 higher than in Lowell, MA.

Median Household Income

Lowell, MA: $76,205 · Cambridge, MA: $126,469

Cambridge, MA has a higher median household income than Lowell, MA by $50,264.

Lowell, MA overview · Cambridge, MA overview · Popular comparisons