Tacoma, WA vs Boston, MA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 13.4% lower than Tacoma, WA.

Tacoma, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,900 / 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 Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,264/month in Boston, MA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $134,828 in Boston, MA

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

Overall Cost

↓ 13.4%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,264

Savings

Annual Impact

$15.2K

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.

Tacoma, WA

Population:219K

Cost Index:

172.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$560K

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

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Tacoma, WA

The Evergreen State

219K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 219K 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: Tacoma, 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	Tacoma, WA	Boston, MA	Difference	Change
Housing	$4,097/mo	$2,868/mo	↓ $1,229less	30.0%
All Utilities	$261/mo	$389/mo	↑ $128more	48.9%
Other	$1,074/mo	$992/mo	↓ $81.91less	7.6%
Healthcare	$448/mo	$404/mo	↓ $43.79less	9.8%
Transportation	$1,032/mo	$995/mo	↓ $37.13less	3.6%
Groceries	$587/mo	$587/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↓ 30.0%

Tacoma, WA

$4,097

Boston, MA

$2,868

Difference

$1,229

less

All Utilities

↑ 48.9%

Tacoma, WA

$261

Boston, MA

$389

Difference

$128

Other

↓ 7.6%

Tacoma, WA

$1,074

Boston, MA

$992

Difference

$81.91

less

Healthcare

↓ 9.8%

Tacoma, WA

$448

Boston, MA

$404

Difference

$43.79

less

Transportation

↓ 3.6%

Tacoma, WA

$1,032

Boston, MA

$995

Difference

$37.13

less

Groceries

→ 0.0%

Tacoma, WA

$587

Boston, MA

$587

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,380

To$3,095

↑ $1,715

1 Bed

From$1,550

To$3,255

↑ $1,705

2 Bed

From$1,900

To$3,865

↑ $1,965

3 Bed

From$2,630

To$4,630

↑ $2,000

Tacoma, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,970/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 Tacoma, WA

$6,236

Monthly in Boston, MA

$1,264

Difference

Home Values

Tacoma

Boston

$560K

Median Value

$961K

↓ -0.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.7%

↑ +23.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +7%

$404K - $685K

Price Range

$709K - $3.40M

Homes in Boston are 72% more expensive than Tacoma

Calculate payment - Tacoma 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

Tacoma, 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

Tacoma, 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

Tacoma, WA: No data yet

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

Tacoma

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 Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, 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 Tacoma 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: Tacoma, WA vs Boston, MA

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

Boston, MA has a modeled overall cost index 13.4% lower than Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA, the model estimates $134,828 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 Tacoma, WA and Boston, MA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,900/month in Tacoma, 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