City comparison
Boston, MA vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 15.3% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $115,300 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Boston, MA to Cleveland, OH ($120,548 → $111,138), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,752 in Cleveland | $115,271 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Boston → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,448 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,977 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,461 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,138 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,331 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $76,470 | $88,148 (−10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $111,310 | $128,308 (−22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $80,000 | $92,217 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $83,940 | $96,758 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.