Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Boden

For one person, living is cheaper in Boden: $1,770 a month against $2,767 in Amherst, MA, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Boden
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Boden Living Index

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Boden

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,770

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, MA and in Boden

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amherst, MA and in Boden actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,767 in Amherst, MA versus $1,770 in Boden.

Amherst, MA $2,767
Boden $1,770

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Amherst, MA versus $2,754 in Boden.

Amherst, MA $4,275
Boden $2,754

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,783 in Amherst, MA versus $3,739 in Boden.

Amherst, MA $5,783
Boden $3,739

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Boden, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 103% above, Boden 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$18.64 SEK 185

7.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$74.7 SEK 742

-5.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 $8.90

$10.01 SEK 99.4

-11.09%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$4.35 SEK 43.18

10.11%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.59 SEK 15.84

69.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.22 SEK 22.00

-7.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.22 SEK 71.7

-17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 $10.41

$6.50 SEK 64.6

60.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.52 SEK 15.10

-30.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.77 SEK 27.49

15.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$3.39 SEK 33.68

106.49%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$4.04 SEK 40.16

16.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$12.16 SEK 121

35.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$12.15 SEK 121

29.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$17.39 SEK 173

5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.99 SEK 29.70

57.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.56 SEK 25.46

-43.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.04 SEK 30.17

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.21 SEK 41.86

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.60 SEK 15.86

104.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.63 SEK 16.21

127.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.23 SEK 22.15

3.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.44 SEK 14.26

40.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$10.29 SEK 102

3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.30 SEK 102

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.98 SEK 19.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.21 SEK 21.90

77.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$3.36 SEK 33.38

-61.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.34 $28.34

$71.3 SEK 708

-60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$5.83 SEK 57.9

-38.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.51 SEK 14.96

-5.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 $29.78

$53.9 SEK 535

-44.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.93 SEK 19.19

-48.70%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.4K SEK 252.1K

8.45%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$32.6K SEK 323.4K

-19.04%

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

$213 $213

$103 SEK 1,022

106.96%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$25.25 SEK 251

123.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 $87.9

$39.16 SEK 389

124.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$57.8 SEK 574

109.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.90 $6.90

$20.12 SEK 200

-65.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 $10.65

$12.48 SEK 124

-14.66%

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

$1,466 $1,466

$158 SEK 1,572

826.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$5,245 SEK 52.1K

227.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 $45.22

$98.7 SEK 980

-54.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 $40.24

$40.77 SEK 405

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$91.3 SEK 907

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$140 SEK 1,390

-21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$894 SEK 8,878

103.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$604 SEK 6,002

122.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,829 $3,829

$1,367 SEK 13.6K

180.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$994 SEK 9,868

172.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,969 $3,969

$4,214 SEK 41.9K

-5.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,035 $4,035

$2,804 SEK 27.8K

43.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,660 $4,660

$3,822 SEK 38.0K

21.93%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Boden: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Boden

$604 34.2% 55.1% $742

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7%

Boden

$355 20% 18.2% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9%

Boden

$167 9.5% 53.2% $190

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4%

Boden

$296 16.7% 5.9% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2%

Boden

$83 4.7% 42% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7%

Boden

$167 9.4% 29.4% $38

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6%

Boden

$98 5.5% 122% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Amherst, MA and $894 in Boden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 22% 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: $71 in Amherst, MA vs $75 in Boden. Groceries flip the comparison at $434 vs $355, with Boden cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇸🇪 Boden

🕒 Local time

14:41 2:41 PM

19:41 7:41 PM

5 h ahead of Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

18,680

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 SEK = 10.07 USD

100 SEK = 9.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.06 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Boden 5,970 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
Boden

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 utilities, groceries, and leisure. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,821 in Amherst, MA versus $894 in Boden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,466 in Amherst, MA versus $158 in Boden. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,770 in Boden versus $2,767 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.

It comes down to priorities – Boden wins on affordability, Amherst, MA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.