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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,094 in Brentwood versus $2,416 in Boston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,351 in Brentwood versus $3,539 in Boston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,607 in Brentwood versus $4,662 in Boston.

Living in Brentwood is roughly 28% more expensive than in Boston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brentwood 132% above, Boston 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 £14.97

$27.35 £20.33

-26.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.7 £60.7

$83.0 £61.7

-1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 £8.20

$11.08 £8.24

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$4.83 £3.59

$4.75 £3.53

1.68%

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

$1.56 £1.16

$1.89 £1.40

-17.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 £0.81

$1.60 £1.19

-31.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 £3.93

$5.27 £3.92

0.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 £4.66

$5.55 £4.13

12.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 £1.04

$1.20 £0.89

15.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 £0.81

$0.59 £0.44

83.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 £1.68

$1.64 £1.22

37.20%

Eggs

$3.73 £2.77

$4.26 £3.17

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 £6.23

$10.15 £7.55

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 £5.35

$7.71 £5.73

-6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 £9.77

$17.22 £12.80

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.32

$3.43 £2.55

-9.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$2.01 £1.49

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.25

$3.34 £2.48

-9.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 £2.19

$2.62 £1.95

12.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 £0.74

$0.92 £0.69

7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 £0.96

$1.68 £1.25

-23.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 £0.65

$1.31 £0.97

-32.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.04

$1.80 £1.34

-22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.70 £12.42

$16.20 £12.04

3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.01 £6.70

$8.83 £6.57

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 £1.72

$3.62 £2.69

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.87 £2.14

-13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.37 £3.99

$3.42 £2.54

57.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 £64.8

$88.5 £65.8

-1.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.92

$4.51 £3.36

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.39 £1.03

-6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.56 £16.77

$23.14 £17.20

-2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.92 £1.42

-1.56%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.0K £28.3K

2.03%

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

$40.2K £29.9K

$41.8K £31.1K

-3.72%

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

$330 £245

$387 £288

-14.86%

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

$14.35 £10.67

$17.77 £13.21

-19.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.66 £25.76

$35.59 £26.46

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.12 £28.34

$45.01 £33.46

-15.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.58 £16.79

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 £11.15

$10.38 £7.71

44.51%

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

$1,668 £1,240

$1,798 £1,337

-7.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K £17.2K

$18.6K £13.8K

24.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 £63.1

$55.1 £40.94

54.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.54 £30.88

$55.1 £40.92

-24.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 £66.7

$71.6 £53.2

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 £75.5

$61.1 £45.41

66.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 £1,154

$1,226 £911

26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 £1,383

$1,013 £753

83.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 £2,129

$2,075 £1,543

37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 £2,109

$1,706 £1,268

66.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,228 £3,886

$5,780 £4,297

-9.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 £2,667

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,467

$1,800 £1,338

84.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.9

-7.63%

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

Last update for Brentwood: July 14, 2026

Last update for Boston: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,552 in Brentwood and $1,226 in Boston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood pays 84% 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: $82.0 in Brentwood vs $83.0 in Boston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $292 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

Brentwood vs Boston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boston wins on cost – living expenses run 28% 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.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Brentwood, 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: $1,552 in Brentwood versus $1,226 in Boston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,094 per month in Brentwood versus $2,416 in Boston – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boston runs roughly 2% less than in Brentwood. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,416 in Boston versus $3,094 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, Brentwood and Boston 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 28% less than in Brentwood. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.