East Orange, NJ vs Boston, MA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 42.6% higher than East Orange, NJ.

East Orange, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,025 / month
Boston, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,865 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare East Orange, NJ and Boston, MA 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 East Orange, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $3,503/month in Boston, MA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $192,035 in Boston, MA

Regional cost estimates: East Orange, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Boston, MA uses Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 42.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$3,503

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$42.0K

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.

East Orange, NJ

Population:70K

Cost Index:

104.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$471K

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

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East Orange, NJ

The Garden State

70K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 70K residents.

Boston, MA

The Bay State

685K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Continental

Notable Facts

•Major education center
•Biotech capital
•Historic American city

Major Industries

EducationHealthcareTechnologyFinance

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: East Orange, NJ vs Boston, MA

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	East Orange, NJ	Boston, MA	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,889/mo	$5,061/mo	↑ $3,172more	168.0%
Transportation	$1,483/mo	$1,756/mo	↑ $273more	18.4%
Other	$1,880/mo	$1,751/mo	↓ $129less	6.9%
All Utilities	$562/mo	$687/mo	↑ $125more	22.2%
Healthcare	$649/mo	$713/mo	↑ $64.33more	9.9%
Groceries	$1,037/mo	$1,035/mo	↓ $1.86less	0.2%

Housing

↑ 168.0%

East Orange, NJ

$1,889

Boston, MA

$5,061

Difference

$3,172

Transportation

↑ 18.4%

East Orange, NJ

$1,483

Boston, MA

$1,756

Difference

$273

Other

↓ 6.9%

East Orange, NJ

$1,880

Boston, MA

$1,751

Difference

$129

less

All Utilities

↑ 22.2%

East Orange, NJ

$562

Boston, MA

$687

Difference

$125

Healthcare

↑ 9.9%

East Orange, NJ

$649

Boston, MA

$713

Difference

$64.33

Groceries

↓ 0.2%

East Orange, NJ

$1,037

Boston, MA

$1,035

Difference

$1.86

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,480

To$3,095

↑ $1,615

1 Bed

From$1,675

To$3,255

↑ $1,580

2 Bed

From$2,025

To$3,865

↑ $1,840

3 Bed

From$2,535

To$4,630

↑ $2,095

East Orange, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$1,720/mo

Boston, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,560–$3,710/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 East Orange, NJ

$11,003

Monthly in Boston, MA

$3,503

Difference

Home Values

East Orange

Boston

$471K

Median Value

$961K

↑ +0.1%

YoY Change

↓ -0.7%

↑ +45.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +7%

$460K - $481K

Price Range

$709K - $3.40M

Homes in Boston are 104% more expensive than East Orange

Calculate payment - East Orange Calculate payment - Boston

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $69.50

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$5.79

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

East Orange, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

Boston, 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

Additional Tax Information

East Orange, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

Boston, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

East Orange, NJ: No data yet

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

East Orange

Boston

N/A

Air Quality

36 Good

Good Air Days

79.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from East Orange, NJ to Boston, MA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Boston, MA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in East Orange, NJ. 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 East Orange to Boston moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Boston, MA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: East Orange, NJ vs Boston, MA

How do the cost estimates for East Orange, NJ and Boston, MA compare?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 42.6% higher than East Orange, NJ. 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 East Orange, NJ, the model estimates $192,035 in Boston, MA. 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 East Orange, NJ and Boston, MA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,025/month in East Orange, NJ and $3,865/month in Boston, MA. 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 New Jersey and Massachusetts on TaxTakeHome.com