Nashua, NH vs Boston, MA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 8.3% higher than Nashua, NH.

Nashua, NH · modeled 2BR rent: $2,240 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Nashua, NH 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 Nashua, NH

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $937/month in Boston, MA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $161,238 in Boston, MA

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

Overall Cost

↑ 8.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$937

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$11.2K

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.

Nashua, NH

Population:91K

Cost Index:

137.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$452K

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

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Nashua, NH

The Live Free or Die State

91K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in New Hampshire, this city has a population of 91K residents.

💡 Advantage: New Hampshire 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: Nashua, NH 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	Nashua, NH	Boston, MA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,224/mo	$3,881/mo	↑ $657more	20.4%
Transportation	$1,243/mo	$1,346/mo	↑ $104more	8.3%
Other	$1,239/mo	$1,342/mo	↑ $103more	8.3%
Groceries	$763/mo	$794/mo	↑ $31.13more	4.1%
Healthcare	$525/mo	$547/mo	↑ $21.44more	4.1%
All Utilities	$506/mo	$527/mo	↑ $20.65more	4.1%

Housing

↑ 20.4%

Nashua, NH

$3,224

Boston, MA

$3,881

Difference

$657

Transportation

↑ 8.3%

Nashua, NH

$1,243

Boston, MA

$1,346

Difference

$104

Other

↑ 8.3%

Nashua, NH

$1,239

Boston, MA

$1,342

Difference

$103

Groceries

↑ 4.1%

Nashua, NH

$763

Boston, MA

$794

Difference

$31.13

Healthcare

↑ 4.1%

Nashua, NH

$525

Boston, MA

$547

Difference

$21.44

All Utilities

↑ 4.1%

Nashua, NH

$506

Boston, MA

$527

Difference

$20.65

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,540

To$3,095

↑ $1,555

1 Bed

From$1,760

To$3,255

↑ $1,495

2 Bed

From$2,240

To$3,865

↑ $1,625

3 Bed

From$2,970

To$4,630

↑ $1,660

Nashua, NHZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$1,830/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 Nashua, NH

$8,437

Monthly in Boston, MA

$937

Difference

Home Values

Nashua

Boston

$452K

Median Value

$961K

↑ +3.3%

YoY Change

↓ -0.7%

↑ +49%

5-Year Change

↑ +7%

$449K - $528K

Price Range

$709K - $3.40M

Homes in Boston are 113% more expensive than Nashua

Calculate payment - Nashua 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

Nashua, NH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Hampshire 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

Nashua, NH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:1.9%

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

Nashua, NH: No data yet

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

Nashua

Boston

36 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

79.5%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from Nashua, NH 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 Nashua, NH. 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 Nashua 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: Nashua, NH vs Boston, MA

How do the cost estimates for Nashua, NH and Boston, MA compare?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 8.3% higher than Nashua, NH. 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 Nashua, NH, the model estimates $161,238 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 Nashua, NH and Boston, MA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,240/month in Nashua, NH 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 Hampshire and Massachusetts on TaxTakeHome.com