Cost of Living: Waltham, 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 Waltham, MA versus $4,224/mo in Cambridge, MA. In the model, rent is about 32.52% of gross in Waltham, MA versus 39.96% in Cambridge, MA, so Waltham, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Waltham, MA and Cambridge, MA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Cambridge, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Waltham, MA
- Lower home prices: Waltham, MA
- Higher median household income: Cambridge, MA
Cost of Living Index
Waltham, 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
Waltham, MA: $2,121/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Cambridge, MA: $2,605/mo
Median rent in Cambridge, MA is $484/mo higher than in Waltham, MA.
Median Home Price
Waltham, MA: $705,700 · Cambridge, MA: $1,040,500
Median home price in Cambridge, MA is $334,800 higher than in Waltham, MA.
Median Household Income
Waltham, MA: $116,560 · Cambridge, MA: $126,469
Cambridge, MA has a higher median household income than Waltham, MA by $9,909.
Waltham, MA overview · Cambridge, MA overview · Popular comparisons