Boston vs Washington
Boston, MA · Washington, DC
Washington is 5% cheaper than Boston overall.
Home Price
Boston: $680,000
Washington: $575,000
Monthly Rent
Boston: $2,750/mo
Washington: $2,195/mo
COL Index
Boston: 162
Washington: 154
Median Income
Boston: $89,400
Washington: $98,700
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Boston has the same purchasing power as $95,062 in Washington — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Washington cost 15% more (-$105,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Washington saves you $555/month — $6,660 per year. Median rent: $2,750/mo in Boston vs $2,195/mo in Washington.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Boston owners pay roughly $7,208/year in property taxes vs $3,278/year in Washington. That's a $3,931 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $89,400 in Boston and $98,700 in Washington. Boston residents earn 10% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Boston vs 34 minutes in Washington. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Boston to Washington, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Boston | Equivalent in Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,531 | -$2,469 |
| $75,000 | $71,296 | -$3,704 |
| $100,000 | $95,062 | -$4,938 |
| $150,000 | $142,593 | -$7,407 |
| $200,000 | $190,123 | -$9,877 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Boston Calculators
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Boston vs Washington: Common Questions
Is Boston or Washington cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Washington is cheaper overall. Boston has a COL index of 162 while Washington scores 154 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Boston and Washington?
The median home price in Boston is $680,000 vs $575,000 in Washington — a difference of $105,000 (15%).
What salary do I need in Washington to match my Boston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Boston is equivalent to $95,062 in Washington in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Washington has a lower property tax rate (0.57% vs 1.06%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,278/year vs $7,208/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.