Cost of Living: Melrose, MA vs Somerville, MA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Melrose, MA versus $4,224/mo in Somerville, MA. In the model, rent is about 28.17% of gross in Melrose, MA versus 35.97% in Somerville, MA, so Melrose, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Melrose, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Somerville, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Melrose, MA
28.17%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Somerville, MA
35.97%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Melrose, MA and Somerville, MA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Somerville, MA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Melrose, MA
  • Lower home prices: Melrose, MA
  • Higher median household income: Somerville, MA

Cost of Living Index

Melrose, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Somerville, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Melrose, MA: $1,837/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Somerville, MA: $2,345/mo

Median rent in Somerville, MA is $508/mo higher than in Melrose, MA.

Median Home Price

Melrose, MA: $796,100 · Somerville, MA: $899,400

Median home price in Somerville, MA is $103,300 higher than in Melrose, MA.

Median Household Income

Melrose, MA: $126,854 · Somerville, MA: $127,056

Somerville, MA has a higher median household income than Melrose, MA by $202.

Melrose, MA overview · Somerville, MA overview · Popular comparisons