Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston and Brentwood Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston and Brentwood

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,340 in Boston versus $3,139 in Brentwood.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,459 in Boston versus $4,369 in Brentwood.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,577 in Boston versus $5,598 in Brentwood.

Living in Boston costs roughly 25% less than in Brentwood, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boston 75% above, Brentwood 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.04 £20.14

$20.12 £14.98

34.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 £60.1

$80.4 £59.9

0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 £7.96

$10.84 £8.07

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$4.78 £3.56

$4.80 £3.58

-0.42%

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

$1.96 £1.46

$1.57 £1.17

24.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.19

$1.09 £0.81

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 £3.94

$5.46 £4.07

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 £3.98

$6.28 £4.68

-14.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 £0.90

$1.46 £1.08

-17.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 £0.45

$1.09 £0.81

-44.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 £1.20

$2.14 £1.59

-24.77%

Eggs

$4.24 £3.16

$3.65 £2.72

16.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 £7.47

$8.44 £6.29

18.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 £5.59

$7.05 £5.25

6.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 £13.14

$13.02 £9.70

35.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.51

$3.18 £2.37

5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.55 £1.16

35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$2.86 £2.13

12.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 £1.95

$2.86 £2.13

-8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 £0.68

$0.95 £0.70

-3.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.28 £0.95

31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$0.87 £0.65

51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.41 £1.05

25.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.42 £12.23

$16.89 £12.58

-2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.01 £6.71

$9.17 £6.83

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 £2.68

$2.35 £1.75

53.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 £2.12

$2.44 £1.82

16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 £2.50

$5.21 £3.88

-35.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 £65.2

$88.5 £65.9

-1.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 £3.33

$5.46 £4.07

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.23 £0.92

8.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.33 £17.37

$22.55 £16.80

3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.88 £1.40

4.26%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

-0.13%

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

$41.8K £31.2K

$40.7K £30.3K

2.73%

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

$396 £295

$335 £249

18.40%

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

$17.78 £13.24

$14.29 £10.64

24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.61 £26.52

$34.35 £25.58

3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.53 £34.65

$37.96 £28.27

22.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.30 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 £7.84

$15.22 £11.33

-30.81%

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

$1,785 £1,329

$1,714 £1,277

4.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$22.7K £16.9K

-20.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 £40.00

$84.8 £63.2

-36.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 £40.50

$41.37 £30.81

31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 £52.6

$87.8 £65.4

-19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 £46.09

$101 £75.1

-38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 £920

$1,540 £1,147

-19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 £743

$1,855 £1,382

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 £1,506

$2,832 £2,110

-28.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 £1,275

$2,924 £2,178

-41.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 £3,759

$5,150 £3,836

-2.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,627 £2,701

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,699 £2,011

$3,451 £2,570

-21.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.45

8.26%

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

Last update for Boston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brentwood: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Boston and $1,540 in Brentwood. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood pays 28% 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: $81.0 in Boston vs $80.0 in Brentwood for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $260 per month, with Brentwood 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

Boston vs Brentwood: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boston wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Brentwood. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Boston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brentwood earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,235 in Boston versus $1,540 in Brentwood. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,340 per month in Boston versus $3,139 in Brentwood – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boston runs roughly 1% less than in Brentwood. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,340 in Boston versus $3,139 in Brentwood, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boston but tight or insufficient in Brentwood. The gap between the two cities makes Boston 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, Boston and Brentwood 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 Boston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Brentwood. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.