City comparison
Boston, MA vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 4.0% higher than in Boston, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Boston, MA would need about $104,000 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $2,476 in Boston, MA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 40% in Boston, MA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Boston, MA to New York, NY ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,969 in New York | $96,183 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
30 Weak offer
New York, NY → Boston, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | New York, NY | Real change, Boston → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | New York, NY | New York pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $96,900 | $93,201 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $166,830 | $160,461 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $105,650 | $101,617 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $119,720 | $115,150 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.