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Cost of living · head to head

Riverside, CA is approximately 2% cheaper than Boston, MA, using Boston, MA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Boston, MA and Riverside, CA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Boston, MAoverall index
108.3
Riverside, CAoverall index
106.4
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Boston, MA
A salary of $100,000 in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $98,246 in Riverside, CA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Riverside, CA is cheaper than Boston, MA, so you’d only need about $98,246 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Boston, MA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$1,800 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 2%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Riverside, CA run 13% lower than in Boston, MA (129.3 vs 148.4), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryBoston, MARiverside, CADifference
Overall108.3106.4-2%
Goods99.7101.4+2%
Housing rents148.4129.3-13%
Utilities148.8148.6-0%
Other services103.6101.3-2%

Riverside, CA differs from Boston, MA the most in housing rents — about 13% lower in Riverside, CA — while the closest is utilities.

Estimated salary equivalent in Riverside, CA

$50,000 in Boston, MA$49,123
$75,000 in Boston, MA$73,684
$100,000 in Boston, MA$98,246
$150,000 in Boston, MA$147,368
$200,000 in Boston, MA$196,491

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Riverside, CA, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Boston, MA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Riverside, CA cheaper than Boston, MA?

Yes — Riverside, CA has an overall cost-of-living index of 106.4 versus 108.3 for Boston, MA, making it about 2% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Boston, MA if you moved to Riverside, CA?

About $98,246, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $98,246 in Riverside, CA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Riverside, CA than in Boston, MA?

Housing rents in Riverside, CA score 129.3 versus 148.4 in Boston, MA — about 13% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Boston, MA and Riverside, CA?

Overall, Riverside, CA is about 2% cheaper than Boston, MA (index 106.4 vs 108.3), with housing 13% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.