Ellensburg, WA vs Boston, MA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 54.1% higher than Ellensburg, WA.

Ellensburg, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,450 / 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 Ellensburg, WA 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 Ellensburg, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $3,448/month in Boston, MA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $191,374 in Boston, MA

Regional cost estimates: Ellensburg, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Boston, MA uses Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 54.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$3,448

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$41.4K

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.

Ellensburg, WA

Population:19K

Cost Index:

96.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$447K

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

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Ellensburg, WA

The Evergreen State

19K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 19K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

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: Ellensburg, WA 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	Ellensburg, WA	Boston, MA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,503/mo	$5,036/mo	↑ $2,533more	101.2%
Other	$1,340/mo	$1,742/mo	↑ $401more	30.0%
All Utilities	$425/mo	$683/mo	↑ $259more	60.9%
Transportation	$1,551/mo	$1,747/mo	↑ $196more	12.6%
Groceries	$953/mo	$1,030/mo	↑ $77.12more	8.1%
Healthcare	$728/mo	$710/mo	↓ $18.00less	2.5%

Housing

↑ 101.2%

Ellensburg, WA

$2,503

Boston, MA

$5,036

Difference

$2,533

Other

↑ 30.0%

Ellensburg, WA

$1,340

Boston, MA

$1,742

Difference

$401

All Utilities

↑ 60.9%

Ellensburg, WA

$425

Boston, MA

$683

Difference

$259

Transportation

↑ 12.6%

Ellensburg, WA

$1,551

Boston, MA

$1,747

Difference

$196

Groceries

↑ 8.1%

Ellensburg, WA

$953

Boston, MA

$1,030

Difference

$77.12

Healthcare

↓ 2.5%

Ellensburg, WA

$728

Boston, MA

$710

Difference

$18.00

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,000

To$3,095

↑ $2,095

1 Bed

From$1,110

To$3,255

↑ $2,145

2 Bed

From$1,450

To$3,865

↑ $2,415

3 Bed

From$2,020

To$4,630

↑ $2,610

Ellensburg, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,110–$1,110/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 Ellensburg, WA

$10,948

Monthly in Boston, MA

$3,448

Difference

Home Values

Ellensburg

Boston

$447K

Median Value

$961K

↓ -0.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.7%

↑ +26.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +7%

$447K

Price Range

$709K - $3.40M

Homes in Boston are 115% more expensive than Ellensburg

Calculate payment - Ellensburg Calculate payment - Boston

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$625

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.0%

Rate difference

Ellensburg, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

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

Ellensburg, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

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

Ellensburg, WA: No data yet

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

Ellensburg

Boston

44 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

79.5%

99 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from Ellensburg, WA 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 Ellensburg, WA. 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 Ellensburg 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: Ellensburg, WA vs Boston, MA

How do the cost estimates for Ellensburg, WA and Boston, MA compare?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 54.1% higher than Ellensburg, WA. 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 Ellensburg, WA, the model estimates $191,374 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 Ellensburg, WA and Boston, MA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,450/month in Ellensburg, WA 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 Washington and Massachusetts on TaxTakeHome.com