Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and San Rafael, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Boston, MA: $4,275 a month against $4,547 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

204

Cost of Living Index in Boston, MA
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Boston, MA Living Index
219

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index

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Boston, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,275

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,547

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boston, MA and in San Rafael, CA

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

A single person spends $4,275 per month in Boston, MA vs $4,547 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Boston, MA $4,275
San Rafael, CA $4,547

A couple spends around $6,046 per month in Boston, MA vs $6,255 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Boston, MA $6,046
San Rafael, CA $6,255

A family of three spends $7,816 per month in Boston, MA vs $7,963 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Boston, MA $7,816
San Rafael, CA $7,963

Boston, MA is about 6% cheaper than San Rafael, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Boston, MA and San Rafael, CA sit above the global median – Boston, MA by 214%, San Rafael, CA by 234%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.91 $27.91

$25.37 $25.37

10.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$11.67 $11.67

1.71%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$4.80 $4.80

10.83%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$2.95 $2.95

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.93 $2.93

-22.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$5.64 $5.64

44.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$6.97 $6.97

28.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.50 $1.50

-19.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.59 $4.59

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$9.70 $9.70

-25.46%

Eggs

$6.08 $6.08

$5.44 $5.44

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 $15.44

$22.82 $22.82

-32.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$15.29 $15.29

-7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 $19.08

$18.54 $18.54

2.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.18 $7.18

$7.29 $7.29

-1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.95 $2.95

-32.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$6.66 $6.66

-19.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$8.36 $8.36

-8.01%

Potato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.86 $5.86

-22.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.65 $5.65

-29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.14 $3.14

-7.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.99 $3.99

-25.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 $13.39

$11.42 $11.42

17.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$12.78 $12.78

19.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.23 $2.23

39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.99 $2.99

52.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.05 $2.05

16.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 $89.5

$40.37 $40.37

121.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.01 $4.01

-35.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$4.39 $4.39

-59.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.46 $27.46

$29.55 $29.55

-7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.40 $1.40

-17.86%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

0.00%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.00%

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

$243 $243

$251 $251

-3.13%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$85.1 $85.1

-34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.2 $84.2

$61.7 $61.7

36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 $68.0

$124 $124

-45.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.11 $41.11

$29.91 $29.91

37.45%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 $15.68

$12.93 $12.93

21.27%

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

$2,653 $2,653

$2,091 $2,091

26.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$24.1K $24.1K

51.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 $73.9

$60.9 $60.9

21.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 $51.9

$42.54 $42.54

21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$96.5 $96.5

14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 $155

$130 $130

18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,400 $3,400

$2,814 $2,814

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 $2,587

$2,838 $2,838

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,840 $5,840

$4,116 $4,116

41.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,908 $3,908

$3,993 $3,993

-2.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K $14.0K

$8,383 $8,383

66.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,743 $5,743

12.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,753 $5,753

$6,930 $6,930

-16.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.62

0.60%

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

Last update for Boston, MA: October 24, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boston, MA

$2.6K 60.5%

San Rafael, CA

$2.8K 62.4% 9.7% $251

Groceries & Markets

Boston, MA

$515 12.1%

San Rafael, CA

$577 12.7% 11.9% $61

Eating Out

Boston, MA

$403 9.4%

San Rafael, CA

$361 7.9% 10.3% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boston, MA

$384 9%

San Rafael, CA

$398 8.8% 3.7% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Boston, MA

$176 4.1%

San Rafael, CA

$149 3.3% 15.6% $28

Getting Around

Boston, MA

$111 2.6%

San Rafael, CA

$75 1.6% 32.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Boston, MA

$99 2.3%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3.3% 50.7% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,400 in Boston, MA versus $2,814 in San Rafael, CA. 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 20% higher in San Rafael, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Boston, MA versus $122 in San Rafael, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $515 vs $577 – making Boston, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boston, MA

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

03:32 3:32 AM

00:32 12:32 AM

3 h behind Boston, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

675,647

58,704

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Boston, MA San Rafael, CA 4,330 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Boston, MA
San Rafael, CA

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

Boston, MA vs San Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Rafael, CA costs about 6% more than Boston, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,413 per month in Boston, MA and $6,821 in San Rafael, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,814 there versus $3,400 in Boston, MA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,275 in Boston, MA and $4,547 in San Rafael, CA. That makes Boston, MA about 6% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,653 per month in Boston, MA and $2,091 in San Rafael, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,275 in Boston, MA and $4,547 in San Rafael, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Boston, MA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $4,275 in Boston, MA to $4,547 in San Rafael, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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