Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Boden Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Boden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,999 in Amherst, MA versus $1,870 in Boden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,360 in Amherst, MA versus $2,862 in Boden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,720 in Amherst, MA versus $3,854 in Boden.

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 60% more expensive than in Boden, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 117% above, Boden 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$19.68 SEK 191

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$79.8 SEK 774

-7.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 $9.25

$10.49 SEK 102

-11.82%

Cappuccino

$4.70 $4.70

$4.60 SEK 44.55

2.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.71 SEK 16.58

53.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.31 SEK 22.42

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$7.23 SEK 70.1

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.35 $10.35

$7.55 SEK 73.2

37.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.58 SEK 15.29

-35.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.87 SEK 27.79

16.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.79 SEK 36.74

39.58%

Eggs

$4.60 $4.60

$4.57 SEK 44.34

0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$12.68 SEK 123

31.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$12.56 SEK 122

29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$18.01 SEK 175

2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.08 SEK 29.90

55.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.73 SEK 26.47

-48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.08 SEK 29.89

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$4.91 SEK 47.63

-3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.67 SEK 16.24

98.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.63 SEK 15.76

120.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.31 SEK 22.40

-3.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.52 SEK 14.69

36.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 $10.36

$10.84 SEK 105

-4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 $11.92

$10.67 SEK 103

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.05 SEK 19.87

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.35 SEK 22.80

46.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.53 SEK 34.20

-65.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.80 $27.80

$75.9 SEK 735

-63.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$6.09 SEK 59.1

-43.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.66 SEK 16.06

-14.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.19 $30.19

$66.3 SEK 643

-54.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.18 SEK 21.10

-56.42%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K $36.7K

$26.0K SEK 251.6K

41.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K $25.6K

$34.1K SEK 330.8K

-24.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$215 $215

$110 SEK 1,064

95.86%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.0 $58.0

$27.39 SEK 266

111.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.4 $83.4

$39.07 SEK 379

113.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$59.2 SEK 573

105.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 $7.08

$20.63 SEK 200

-65.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 $10.63

$13.22 SEK 128

-19.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,478 $1,478

$164 SEK 1,591

800.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$5,241 SEK 50.8K

221.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.98 $44.98

$94.3 SEK 914

-52.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 $39.11

$43.62 SEK 423

-10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$96.6 SEK 936

-7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$146 SEK 1,413

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,856 $1,856

$938 SEK 9,093

97.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$607 SEK 5,886

163.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,957 $3,957

$1,414 SEK 13.7K

179.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,633 $2,633

$1,070 SEK 10.4K

146.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,040 $4,040

$4,427 SEK 42.9K

-8.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,965 $3,965

$2,904 SEK 28.2K

36.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,816 $4,816

$3,913 SEK 37.9K

23.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.4

79.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amherst, MA: September 6, 2026

Last update for Boden: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,856 in Amherst, MA and $938 in Boden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Amherst, MA vs $80.0 in Boden. Groceries flip the comparison at $431 vs $373, with Boden cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amherst, MA vs Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boden is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Amherst, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,856 in Amherst, MA versus $938 in Boden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,478 in Amherst, MA versus $164 in Boden. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,870 in Boden versus $2,999 in Amherst, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Boden but tight or insufficient in Amherst, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Boden the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Boden are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Boden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.