✦ Compare
Boston vs
Washington
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Boston, MA vs Washington, DC at a glance — Washington, DC is 3% cheaper than Boston, MA overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,300/mo versus $3,000/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 37%.
To keep the same standard of living in Washington, DC, you'd need
$72,995 / year
Washington, DC is 3% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Washington, DC vs Boston, MA)
- Housing-5%
- Food & groceries+1%
- Transport+4%
- Utilities-9%
- Healthcare-11%
- Goods & services+1%
Median 1-bed rent
$3,000 /mo
Boston, MA overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$2,300 /mo
Washington, DC overview →
◎ How Boston, MA and Washington, DC compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Boston, MA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 111 | 108 |
| Housing | 152 | 144 |
| Food | 90 | 91 |
| Transport | 91 | 95 |
| Utilities | 95 | 86 |
| Healthcare | 98 | 87 |
| Goods & services | 96 | 97 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $3,000/mo | $2,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $2,300/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $5,500/mo | $4,500/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $11,000 | $8,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $897 | $922 |
| Inexpensive meal | $22 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $90 | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 37% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 21% | 21% |
| Capital gains | 20% | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $4,300/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,257/mo✓ | $1,257/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $90,027✓ | $90,027✓ |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Native | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 80 | 80 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | UTC-5 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Quality of life (overall) | 73 | 67 |
| Safety index | 62 | 50 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 35 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 83 | 77 |
| Public transport | 75 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 65 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | $460/mo | $470/mo |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr✓ | 79 yr✓ |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | -1 °C | +2 °C |
| July avg | +23 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 200 | 203 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,100 mm | 1,000 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
Cost of living: Boston vs Washington — in your currency
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
Good to know before you move to Boston
Historic, walkable and a global university and biotech hub — winters are long and rents are steep.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-5
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 62/100
- Climate
- ❄ -1°C · ☀ 23°C · 200 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Back Bay · Cambridge · South End
Good to know before you move to Washington
The US capital — stable government and consulting jobs, a strong transit system and grand monuments.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-5
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 50/100
- Climate
- ❄ 2°C · ☀ 27°C · 203 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Dupont Circle · Georgetown · Shaw
Plan your move to Boston
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
Plan your move to Washington
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Boston to Washington: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Boston to Washington, your cost of living will be roughly 3% cheaper. Washington’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 111 for Boston (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Boston cheaper than Washington?
Washington is about 3% cheaper than Boston overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 111 for Boston.
Which is more expensive, Boston or Washington?
Boston is more expensive than Washington. Its cost-of-living index is 111 vs 108 (US = 100) — about 3% higher.
Is rent cheaper in Boston or Washington?
Rent is cheaper in Washington — about $2,300/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $3,000 in Boston.
How much do you need to earn in Washington to live like in Boston?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Boston is worth about $72,995 in Washington. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Boston or Washington?
Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (37%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.
◷ More comparisons from Boston
How we calculate these figures →
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.