Cambridge, MA vs White Plains, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

White Plains, NY has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% higher than Cambridge, MA.

Cambridge, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $4,120 / month
White Plains, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $3,360 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Cambridge, MA and White Plains, NY using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Cambridge, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $764/month in White Plains, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,173 in White Plains, NY

Regional cost estimates: Cambridge, MA uses Boston, MA. White Plains, NY uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$764

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$9.2K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Cambridge, MA

Population:118K

Cost Index:

143.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.11M

White Plains, NY

Population:61K

Cost Index:

149.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$737K

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Cambridge, MA

The Bay State

118K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 118K residents.

White Plains, NY

The Empire State

61K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 61K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cambridge, MA vs White Plains, NY

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Cambridge, MA	White Plains, NY	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,240/mo	$4,335/mo	↑ $1,095more	33.8%
Transportation	$1,249/mo	$1,009/mo	↓ $240less	19.2%
All Utilities	$498/mo	$401/mo	↓ $97.00less	19.5%
Healthcare	$517/mo	$460/mo	↓ $57.60less	11.1%
Other	$1,245/mo	$1,281/mo	↑ $35.84more	2.9%
Groceries	$751/mo	$779/mo	↑ $27.93more	3.7%

Housing

↑ 33.8%

Cambridge, MA

$3,240

White Plains, NY

$4,335

Difference

$1,095

Transportation

↓ 19.2%

Cambridge, MA

$1,249

White Plains, NY

$1,009

Difference

$240

less

All Utilities

↓ 19.5%

Cambridge, MA

$498

White Plains, NY

$401

Difference

$97.00

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.1%

Cambridge, MA

$517

White Plains, NY

$460

Difference

$57.60

less

Other

↑ 2.9%

Cambridge, MA

$1,245

White Plains, NY

$1,281

Difference

$35.84

Groceries

↑ 3.7%

Cambridge, MA

$751

White Plains, NY

$779

Difference

$27.93

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$3,305

To$2,920

↓ $385

1 Bed

From$3,470

To$3,070

↓ $400

2 Bed

From$4,120

To$3,360

↓ $760

3 Bed

From$4,940

To$4,210

↓ $730

Cambridge, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,370–$3,610/mo

White Plains, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,790–$3,440/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Cambridge, MA

$8,264

Monthly in White Plains, NY

$764

Difference

Home Values

Cambridge

White Plains

$1.11M

Median Value

$737K

↑ +0.2%

YoY Change

↑ +3.5%

↑ +15.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +33.1%

$963K - $1.26M

Price Range

$458K - $945K

Homes in White Plains are 34% less expensive than Cambridge

Calculate payment - Cambridge Calculate payment - White Plains

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$170

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.4%

Rate difference

Cambridge, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

White Plains, NY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New York State Tax

Effective: 6.4%

$9.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.0%

$46.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,620/month

$103.4K

Additional Tax Information

Cambridge, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

White Plains, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:1.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Cambridge

White Plains

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

65.8%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Cambridge, MA to White Plains, NY

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in White Plains, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cambridge, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Cambridge to White Plains moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to White Plains, NY by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cambridge, MA vs White Plains, NY

How do the cost estimates for Cambridge, MA and White Plains, NY compare?

White Plains, NY has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% higher than Cambridge, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Cambridge, MA, the model estimates $159,173 in White Plains, NY. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Cambridge, MA and White Plains, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $4,120/month in Cambridge, MA and $3,360/month in White Plains, NY. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and New York on TaxTakeHome.com