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Cost of living · head to head

Boston, MA is approximately 10% pricier than Houston, TX, using Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX and Boston, MA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Houston, TXoverall index
98.6
Boston, MAoverall index
108.3
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Houston, TX
A salary of $100,000 in Houston, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $109,838 in Boston, MA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Boston, MA is more expensive than Houston, TX, so you’d need about $109,838 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Houston, TX — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$9,800 more to cover the higher cost of living, not a real raise.
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 10%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Boston, MA run 42% higher than in Houston, TX (148.4 vs 104.5), 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

CategoryHouston, TXBoston, MADifference
Overall98.6108.3+10%
Goods100.699.7-1%
Housing rents104.5148.4+42%
Utilities95.3148.8+56%
Other services95.6103.6+8%

Boston, MA differs from Houston, TX the most in utilities — about 56% higher in Boston, MA — while the closest is goods.

Estimated salary equivalent in Boston, MA

$50,000 in Houston, TX$54,919
$75,000 in Houston, TX$82,378
$100,000 in Houston, TX$109,838
$150,000 in Houston, TX$164,757
$200,000 in Houston, TX$219,675

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

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 Boston, MA cheaper than Houston, TX?

No — Boston, MA has an overall cost-of-living index of 108.3 versus 98.6 for Houston, TX, making it about 10% more expensive.

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

About $109,838, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Houston, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $109,838 in Boston, MA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Boston, MA than in Houston, TX?

Housing rents in Boston, MA score 148.4 versus 104.5 in Houston, TX — about 42% more expensive. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Houston, TX and Boston, MA?

Overall, Boston, MA is about 10% pricier than Houston, TX (index 108.3 vs 98.6), with housing 42% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.