Cost of Living: Oakland, CA vs Boston, MA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Oakland, CA versus $4,224/mo in Boston, MA. In the model, rent is about 27.93% of gross in Oakland, CA versus 30.5% in Boston, MA, so Oakland, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Oakland, CA and Boston, MA.
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
Oakland, CA: 165.2 (U.S. = 100) · Boston, MA: 156.3 (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
Oakland, CA: $1,821/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Boston, MA: $1,989/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $168/mo higher than in Oakland, CA.
Median Home Price
Oakland, CA: $924,700 · Boston, MA: $710,400
Median home price in Oakland, CA is $214,300 higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Household Income
Oakland, CA: $97,369 · Boston, MA: $94,755
Oakland, CA has a higher median household income than Boston, MA by $2,614.
Oakland, CA overview · Boston, MA overview · Popular comparisons