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Washington vs Boston: cost of living, pay and jobs compared
Boston is the cheaper place to live: overall prices run 1% lower than in Washington, and housing runs 2% lower. Washington pays more in dollars (a typical official wage of $71,000 against $66,500), and after local prices are counted the typical paycheck goes further in Washington ($65,500 against $61,500 in average-US dollars).
The short answer
- Prices: Washington runs 1% higher than Boston overall, and housing runs 2% higher.
- To keep the buying power of $100,000 in Boston, you need about $100,500 in Washington. To keep $100,000 from Washington, you need about $99,500 in Boston.
- Official median wage for all jobs: $71,000 in Washington, $66,500 in Boston.
- Median pay listed in open postings: $156,500 in Washington, $159,000 in Boston.
- Open postings in our data: 3,856 in Washington from 540 employers, 5,962 in Boston from 677 employers.
- Unemployment: 3.8% in Washington, 4.1% in Boston (BLS).
Washington and Boston side by side
| Measure | Washington | Boston | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (US = 100) | 108.9 | 108.3 | About the same |
| Housing price level | 151.1 | 148.4 | About the same |
| Official median wage, all jobs | $71,000 | $66,500 | Washington |
| Paycheck power (wage adjusted for prices) | $65,500 | $61,500 | Washington |
| Median pay in open postings | $156,500 | $159,000 | About the same |
| Postings that list pay | 61.2% | 59.8% | Washington |
| Open postings in our data | 3,856 | 5,962 | – |
| Employers hiring in our data | 540 | 677 | – |
| Unemployment rate (BLS) | 3.8% | 4.1% | Washington |
| Postings open more than 60 days | 37.7% | 26.5% | Boston |
| Median days a posting has been open | 37 | 28 | Boston |
| Entry-level share of postings | 8.5% | 12.6% | – |
| Remote share of postings | 7.3% | 7.8% | – |
| Indeed postings index vs Feb 2020 | -17.2% | -16% | Boston |
"Edge" shows which area looks better on that measure (lower prices, higher pay, lower unemployment, fewer stale postings); counts and shares have no edge. Within 2% counts as about the same.
Cost of living
Washington prices sit 108.9 against a US average of 100 and Boston at 108.3. The biggest difference is housing: 151.1 in Washington against 148.4 in Boston. Utilities are 28% lower in Washington. The index covers goods and services including rent and home costs, so it measures what a typical household spends, not what your own budget looks like.
| Price level (US = 100) | Washington | Boston | Washington vs Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 108.9 | 108.3 | 1% higher |
| Housing | 151.1 | 148.4 | 2% higher |
| Goods | 104.8 | 99.7 | 5% higher |
| Utilities | 106.7 | 148.8 | 28% lower |
| Other services | 102.3 | 103.6 | 1% lower |
What a salary is worth in each place
Each row keeps your purchasing power the same. The left half moves a salary from Boston to Washington; the right half moves it the other way. "If only housing moved" uses the housing price level alone, for someone whose biggest cost is rent or a mortgage.
| Salary in Boston | Matching salary in Washington | If only housing moved | Salary in Washington | Matching salary in Boston | If only housing moved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,500 | $51,000 | $50,000 | $49,500 | $49,000 |
| $75,000 | $75,500 | $76,500 | $75,000 | $74,500 | $73,500 |
| $100,000 | $100,500 | $102,000 | $100,000 | $99,500 | $98,000 |
| $125,000 | $125,500 | $127,500 | $125,000 | $124,500 | $123,000 |
| $150,000 | $151,000 | $152,500 | $150,000 | $149,000 | $147,500 |
| $200,000 | $201,000 | $203,500 | $200,000 | $199,000 | $196,500 |
As hourly pay (2,080 hours a year): $100,000 a year is about $48.10 an hour; the matching figure is about $48.35 an hour in Washington for someone earning $100,000 in Boston.
Pay for the same job
Across the 58 occupations that the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures in both areas, the median wage is higher in Washington for 18 and higher in Boston for 40. After local prices are counted, Washington comes out ahead in 16 and Boston in 42. The widest gap among the 15 largest occupations is janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners: $37,800 in Washington against $46,600 in Boston.
| Occupation (15 largest) | Washington median | Boston median | Washington adjusted for prices | Boston adjusted for prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $156,500 | $133,800 | $143,700 | $123,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,600 | $36,900 | $33,600 | $34,000 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,500 | $40,900 | $35,400 | $37,800 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,600 | $36,300 | $31,800 | $33,500 |
| Software Developers | $154,900 | $166,100 | $142,300 | $153,400 |
| Registered Nurses | $102,700 | $106,200 | $94,300 | $98,100 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,800 | $46,600 | $34,800 | $43,000 |
| Cashiers | $35,500 | $36,000 | $32,600 | $33,300 |
| Management Analysts | $126,800 | $135,600 | $116,500 | $125,300 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $46,000 | $39,300 | $42,300 | $36,300 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,100 | $100,200 | $93,800 | $92,500 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,200 | $49,900 | $42,400 | $46,100 |
| Office Clerks, General | $51,900 | $50,700 | $47,600 | $46,800 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,900 | $37,700 | $34,800 | $34,800 |
| Lawyers | $195,200 | $183,400 | $179,300 | $169,400 |
Median annual wage for everyone in the occupation, all employers, May 2025 (BLS). "Adjusted" divides the wage by the area's price level (BEA, US = 100), so dollars are comparable.
Pay employers are offering right now
The wages above are what people earn in jobs they already hold. Open postings show what employers are offering today. In the job families where both areas have at least 15 postings that list pay, the median listed salary is higher in Washington for 9 of 12 and higher in Boston for 3. Posted pay tends to run above the all-worker median because it leans toward hiring for experienced roles at larger employers.
| Job family | Washington median listed pay | Postings | Boston median listed pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | $193,000 | 163 | $190,000 | 276 |
| Sales | $166,500 | 155 | $142,500 | 265 |
| Software engineering | $156,000 | 135 | $184,000 | 96 |
| Operations and logistics | $132,000 | 77 | $130,500 | 114 |
| Marketing | $165,000 | 64 | $145,000 | 126 |
| Security and IT | $175,000 | 97 | $166,000 | 87 |
| Product and design | $164,500 | 38 | $185,000 | 92 |
| Legal and compliance | $197,500 | 66 | $187,000 | 47 |
| Finance and accounting | $141,000 | 51 | $156,000 | 62 |
| Nursing and clinical care | $155,000 | 36 | $141,000 | 38 |
| Customer support and success | $156,500 | 29 | $126,000 | 43 |
| People and recruiting | $170,000 | 18 | $136,500 | 50 |
Only postings that list a salary are counted. Median of the middle of each listed range. Job families need at least 15 such postings in both areas to appear.
Who is hiring
Washington's postings lean toward software & technology (28.2%), while Boston's lean toward healthcare & life sciences (40.8%). The mix matters because pay and hiring conditions differ a lot by industry.
- Largest posters in Washington: Accenturefederalservices (266), Anduril Industries (184), Leidos (162), AstraZeneca (121), Veterinaryemergencygroupst (76).
- Largest posters in Boston: Mass General Brigham (1,278), State Street (234), Anduril Industries (198), Whoop (167), Formlabs (136).
Counts are open postings on each employer's own career page in our data; one big employer can shape a local market.
The job market
- Postings have been open a median of 37 days in Washington and 28 in Boston; 37.7% and 26.5% have been open more than 60 days.
- Entry-level roles are 8.5% of postings in Washington and 12.6% in Boston; senior and above are 45.1% and 45.8%.
- Fully remote roles are 7.3% of postings in Washington and 7.8% in Boston.
- Indeed's postings index sits 17.2% below its February 2020 level in Washington and 16% below in Boston.
- 61.2% of postings in Washington list pay, against 59.8% in Boston.
Which is better for you?
- If you can keep your current salary and move, the place with the lower price level (Boston) stretches it further: $100,000 in Washington has the buying power of about $99,500 in Boston.
- If you will be paid the local going rate, Washington comes out ahead after prices on the typical wage ($65,500 against $61,500).
- Software developers: median listed pay is $193,000 in Washington and $190,000 in Boston, which is $177,500 and $175,500 in average-US dollars.
- If housing is your biggest cost, the gap there (151.1 vs 148.4) matters more than the overall index.
No place is better for everyone. Taxes, commute, schools, climate and your own spending are not in these numbers.
Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Washington or Boston?
Boston is cheaper. Overall prices run 1% lower than in Washington, and housing runs 2% lower (BEA regional price parities, 2024, where the US average is 100).
How much do I need to earn in Washington to match $100,000 in Boston?
About $100,500 a year, using the ratio of overall price levels (108.9 in Washington, 108.3 in Boston). Prices only; taxes are not included.
Which city pays more, Washington or Boston?
Washington has the higher typical wage across all jobs: $71,000 against $66,500 (BLS, May 2025). After local prices, Washington has the higher paycheck power: $65,500 against $61,500 in average-US dollars.
Which has more job openings?
In the postings we read from employers' own career pages, Boston has more: 5,962 against 3,856. This is a sample of employer postings, not a census of every job.
Where do these numbers come from?
Prices come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, wages and unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and postings from employers' own career pages, collected October 2026. Every figure on this page is in a table or chart above.
More on these places
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: all the data
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: all the data
- Compare them in the interactive tool
- Cost-of-living ranking · Paycheck power ranking
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Updated October 2026. Prices only: taxes and personal spending are not included. Price levels: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, 2024. Wages and unemployment: Bureau of Labor Statistics (wages May 2025). Postings: employers' own career pages, October 2026. Methodology