Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berkeley, CA and Somerville, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Berkeley, CA: $3,878 a month against $4,288 in Somerville, MA, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Somerville, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

188

Cost of Living Index in Berkeley, CA
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Berkeley, CA Living Index
210

Cost of Living Index in Somerville, MA
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Somerville, MA Living Index

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Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,878

/mo nomad

Somerville, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,288

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berkeley, CA and in Somerville, MA

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

A single person spends $3,878 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $4,288 in Somerville, MA, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $3,878
Somerville, MA $4,288

A couple spends around $5,546 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $6,211 in Somerville, MA, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $5,546
Somerville, MA $6,211

A family of three spends $7,215 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $8,134 in Somerville, MA, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $7,215
Somerville, MA $8,134

Berkeley, CA is about 10% cheaper than Somerville, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Berkeley, CA and Somerville, MA sit above the global median – Berkeley, CA by 187%, Somerville, MA by 218%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.39 $22.39

$24.95 $24.95

-10.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$95.3 $95.3

-15.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 $10.52

$13.25 $13.25

-20.60%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.44 $5.44

11.58%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.91 $2.91

11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.26 $2.26

36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$8.12 $8.12

-27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$9.09 $9.09

-15.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.08 $1.08

85.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.90 $3.90

16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$5.31 $5.31

8.10%

Eggs

$6.07 $6.07

$4.92 $4.92

23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.78 $26.78

$15.91 $15.91

68.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.58 $16.58

$14.04 $14.04

18.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.69 $21.69

$17.85 $17.85

21.51%

Apples (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.66 $6.66

7.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.08 $2.08

23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$5.53 $5.53

12.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$6.49 $6.49

61.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.20 $2.20

62.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.16 $2.16

124.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.99 $2.99

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.98 $2.98

3.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.57 $11.57

$13.39 $13.39

-13.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 $12.82

$15.79 $15.79

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.09 $2.09

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.11 $4.11

-32.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.23 $2.23

10.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.1 $93.1

$88.8 $88.8

4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.62 $2.62

30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.78 $1.78

6.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.52 $39.52

$28.09 $28.09

40.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.08 $1.08

36.11%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$36.9K $36.9K

2.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.55%

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

$180 $180

$246 $246

-26.72%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$75.9 $75.9

-18.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 $76.7

$74.5 $74.5

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 $49.54

$103 $103

-52.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 $7.94

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$15.65 $15.65

-2.43%

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

$2,565 $2,565

$1,848 $1,848

38.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K $35.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

15.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 $71.2

$48.48 $48.48

46.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 $70.5

$38.45 $38.45

83.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$101 $101

-4.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$235 $235

$158 $158

48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,965 $2,965

-12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$2,637 $2,637

-15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,778 $4,778

$4,530 $4,530

5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,487 $3,487

$4,491 $4,491

-22.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,047 $8,047

$7,454 $7,454

7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,245 $7,245

$5,679 $5,679

27.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,775 $6,775

$5,408 $5,408

25.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.64

-0.30%

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

Last update for Berkeley, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Somerville, MA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Berkeley, CA

$2.2K 57.2%

Somerville, MA

$2.6K 61.5% 18.8% $418

Groceries & Markets

Berkeley, CA

$578 14.9%

Somerville, MA

$472 11% 18.5% $107

Eating Out

Berkeley, CA

$354 9.1%

Somerville, MA

$384 9% 8.6% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berkeley, CA

$319 8.2%

Somerville, MA

$396 9.2% 24.4% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Berkeley, CA

$213 5.5%

Somerville, MA

$155 3.6% 26.9% $57

Getting Around

Berkeley, CA

$116 3%

Somerville, MA

$109 2.6% 5.7% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

Berkeley, CA

$80 2.1%

Somerville, MA

$135 3.1% 68.2% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,594 in Berkeley, CA versus $2,965 in Somerville, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Berkeley, CA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Berkeley, CA versus $95.0 in Somerville, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $578 in Berkeley, CA vs $472 in Somerville, MA – so Somerville, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 Somerville, MA

🕒 Local time

19:03 7:03 PM

22:03 10:03 PM

3 h ahead of Berkeley, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

121,363

75,754

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Berkeley, CA Somerville, MA 4,310 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Berkeley, CA
Somerville, MA

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

Berkeley, CA vs Somerville, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Somerville, MA is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,817 per month in Berkeley, CA and $6,432 in Somerville, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Berkeley, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Berkeley, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,565 per month in Berkeley, CA and $1,848 in Somerville, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,878 in Berkeley, CA and $4,288 in Somerville, MA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Berkeley, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Berkeley, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Somerville, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.