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: $2,936 in Amherst, MA versus $1,448 in Boden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,730 in Amherst, MA versus $2,294 in Boden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,524 in Amherst, MA versus $3,141 in Boden.

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 103% more expensive than in Boden, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 120% above, Boden 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$19.99 SEK 193

-1.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$41.86 SEK 405

65.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 $9.44

$10.72 SEK 104

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$2.06 SEK 19.90

160.68%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.67 SEK 16.12

83.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.16 SEK 20.88

11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.40 SEK 52.2

50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$7.26 SEK 70.2

0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.45 SEK 13.97

-8.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.78 SEK 26.88

29.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.08 SEK 20.08

-2.88%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$2.60 SEK 25.15

74.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 $13.67

$5.32 SEK 51.4

156.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.35 SEK 61.4

-20.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.44 $18.44

$6.45 SEK 62.3

185.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$2.60 SEK 25.15

113.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.67 SEK 25.78

-43.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.66 SEK 25.71

29.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.52 SEK 43.73

11.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.55 SEK 14.96

-36.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.04 SEK 10.04

-5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.28 SEK 12.38

100.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.61 SEK 25.24

-25.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 $10.40

$10.65 SEK 103

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 $13.41

$10.55 SEK 102

27.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.94 SEK 38.11

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.57 SEK 24.80

34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.57 SEK 24.87

-21.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 $27.67

$75.3 SEK 728

-63.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.33 SEK 51.5

-49.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.64 SEK 15.88

-12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.48 $28.48

$61.8 SEK 597

-53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.31 SEK 22.35

-59.31%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$26.2K SEK 253.5K

16.26%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.4K SEK 255.5K

-5.95%

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

$193 $193

$110 SEK 1,061

76.24%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$53.3 SEK 515

7.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$53.6 SEK 519

45.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$60.9 SEK 589

99.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.16 $7.16

$24.58 SEK 238

-70.87%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 $10.78

$13.12 SEK 127

-17.84%

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

$2,844 $2,844

$79.6 SEK 769

3473.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.1K $27.1K

$4,175 SEK 40.4K

549.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.55 $39.55

$134 SEK 1,295

-70.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.62 $44.62

$78.5 SEK 759

-43.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$97.4 SEK 941

-11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$251 SEK 2,426

-42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$938 SEK 9,069

91.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 $1,629

$267 SEK 2,583

509.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,865 $4,865

$732 SEK 7,073

564.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 $3,446

$528 SEK 5,099

553.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 $4,072

$4,413 SEK 42.7K

-7.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,982 $3,982

$3,077 SEK 29.7K

29.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,775 $4,775

$3,940 SEK 38.1K

21.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

55.50%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Boden: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,799 in Amherst, MA and $938 in Boden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 21% 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: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $42.00 in Boden for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $279 per month, with Boden cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,799 in Amherst, MA versus $938 in Boden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,844 in Amherst, MA versus $79.6 in Boden. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,448 in Boden versus $2,936 in Amherst, MA, a $1,500 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 103% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.