Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Reading, MA
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 $4,224/mo in Reading, MA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 25.1% in Reading, MA, so Reading, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Reading, MA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Reading, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Reading, MA
- Lower home prices: Boston, MA
- Higher median household income: Reading, MA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Reading, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100)
Reading, MA has a lower cost-of-living index than Boston, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Reading, MA: $1,636/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $353/mo higher than in Reading, MA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Reading, MA: $741,100
Median home price in Reading, MA is $30,700 higher than in Boston, MA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Reading, MA: $163,725
Reading, MA has a higher median household income than Boston, MA by $68,970.
Boston, MA overview · Reading, MA overview · Popular comparisons