Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Irvine, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Boston, MA versus $3,974/mo in Irvine, CA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 42.15% in Irvine, CA, so Boston, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Irvine, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Boston, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Boston, MA
- Lower home prices: Boston, MA
- Higher median household income: Irvine, CA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Irvine, CA: 158.4 (U.S. = 100)
Boston, MA has a lower cost-of-living index than Irvine, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Irvine, CA: $2,749/mo
Median rent in Irvine, CA is $760/mo higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Irvine, CA: $1,115,400
Median home price in Irvine, CA is $405,000 higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Irvine, CA: $129,647
Irvine, CA has a higher median household income than Boston, MA by $34,892.
Boston, MA overview · Irvine, CA overview · Popular comparisons