San Mateo, CA vs Boston, MA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% lower than San Mateo, CA.

San Mateo, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $4,480 / 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 San Mateo, CA 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 San Mateo, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $425/month in Boston, MA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,898 in Boston, MA

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

Overall Cost

↓ 6.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$425

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.1K

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.

San Mateo, CA

Population:101K

Cost Index:

159.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$2.02M

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

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San Mateo, CA

The Golden State

101K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 101K 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: San Mateo, CA 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	San Mateo, CA	Boston, MA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,687/mo	$3,254/mo	↓ $433less	11.7%
All Utilities	$272/mo	$442/mo	↑ $170more	62.4%
Transportation	$1,289/mo	$1,129/mo	↓ $160less	12.4%
Groceries	$704/mo	$666/mo	↓ $37.81less	5.4%
Healthcare	$429/mo	$459/mo	↑ $29.94more	7.0%
Other	$1,120/mo	$1,126/mo	↑ $5.94more	0.5%

Housing

↓ 11.7%

San Mateo, CA

$3,687

Boston, MA

$3,254

Difference

$433

less

All Utilities

↑ 62.4%

San Mateo, CA

$272

Boston, MA

$442

Difference

$170

Transportation

↓ 12.4%

San Mateo, CA

$1,289

Boston, MA

$1,129

Difference

$160

less

Groceries

↓ 5.4%

San Mateo, CA

$704

Boston, MA

$666

Difference

$37.81

less

Healthcare

↑ 7.0%

San Mateo, CA

$429

Boston, MA

$459

Difference

$29.94

Other

↑ 0.5%

San Mateo, CA

$1,120

Boston, MA

$1,126

Difference

$5.94

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$3,090

To$3,095

↑ $5.00

1 Bed

From$3,700

To$3,255

↓ $445

2 Bed

From$4,480

To$3,865

↓ $615

3 Bed

From$5,720

To$4,630

↓ $1,090

San Mateo, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,670–$3,730/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 San Mateo, CA

$7,075

Monthly in Boston, MA

$425

Difference

Home Values

San Mateo

Boston

$2.02M

Median Value

$961K

↑ +1.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.7%

↑ +21%

5-Year Change

↑ +7%

$1.73M - $2.32M

Price Range

$709K - $3.40M

Homes in Boston are 53% less expensive than San Mateo

Calculate payment - San Mateo Calculate payment - Boston

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$261

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.1%

Rate difference

San Mateo, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

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

San Mateo, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

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

San Mateo, CA: No data yet

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

San Mateo

Boston

49 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

53%

Good Air Days

79.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from San Mateo, CA 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 San Mateo, CA. 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 San Mateo 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: San Mateo, CA vs Boston, MA

How do the cost estimates for San Mateo, CA and Boston, MA compare?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% lower than San Mateo, CA. 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 San Mateo, CA, the model estimates $144,898 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 San Mateo, CA and Boston, MA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $4,480/month in San Mateo, CA 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 California and Massachusetts on TaxTakeHome.com