Head to head
Boston, MA vs Seattle, WA
Seattle is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $425/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $15,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Boston is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Boston58 | Seattle59 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,216 | $4,791 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $12,728 | $12,749 |
| Salary for comfort | $101,500/yr | $86,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,941 | $2,501 |
| Median home value | $710,400 | $912,100 |
| Median household income | $94,755 | $121,984 |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Housing score | 8 | 34 |
| Jobs score | 50 | 35 |
| Safety score | 86 | 40 |
| Climate score | 85 | 92 |
| Amenities score | 70 | 90 |
| Population | 664K | 741.4K |
| Summer high / winter low | 81° / 22° | 76° / 37° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Boston, MA
Seattle, WA