Question 1

Is Boston or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, WA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,380/month less than in Boston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,941/mo in Boston versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Boston vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Boston, MA and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $37,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Boston or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $10,978/month in Boston and $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Boston or Seattle?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Seattle costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Boston51	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,123	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$10,978	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,941	$2,501
Median home value	$710,400	$912,100
Median household income	$94,755	$121,984
Unemployment	4.1%	4.5%
Housing score	10	35
Jobs score	32	36
Safety score	86	40
Climate score	86	92
Amenities score	70	90
Population	664K	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	81° / 22°	76° / 37°

Boston, MA vs Seattle, WA