Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waltham, MA and Alameda, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in Waltham, MA and in Alameda, CA: $4,201 and $4,114 a month, rent and utilities included.

207

Cost of Living Index in Waltham, MA
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Waltham, MA Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Alameda, CA
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Alameda, CA Living Index

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Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,201

/mo nomad

Alameda, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,114

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Waltham, MA and in Alameda, CA

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

A single person spends $4,201 per month in Waltham, MA vs $4,114 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Waltham, MA $4,201
Alameda, CA $4,114

A couple spends around $6,499 per month in Waltham, MA vs $5,985 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Waltham, MA $6,499
Alameda, CA $5,985

A family of three spends $8,798 per month in Waltham, MA vs $7,856 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Waltham, MA $8,798
Alameda, CA $7,856

Waltham, MA costs about 2% more than Alameda, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Waltham, MA and Alameda, CA sit above the global median – Waltham, MA by 211%, Alameda, CA by 205%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 $24.71

$27.38 $27.38

-9.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 $97.1

$102 $102

-4.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$15.02 $15.02

-19.17%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.80 $5.80

-7.41%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$3.08 $3.08

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.71 $2.71

-14.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$8.84 $8.84

-43.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$10.05 $10.05

-19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.26 $1.26

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.76 $3.76

6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$4.92 $4.92

9.76%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$10.95 $10.95

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.44 $14.44

$15.70 $15.70

-8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$22.88 $22.88

-23.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$6.00 $6.00

11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.95 $2.95

-40.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$4.50 $4.50

18.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.82 $6.82

-17.60%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.00 $3.00

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.26 $3.26

23.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.55 $1.55

86.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.72 $2.72

8.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.70 $12.70

$12.16 $12.16

4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 $13.59

$14.60 $14.60

-6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.78 $1.78

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.67 $3.67

14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 $3.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$91.8 $91.8

-35.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$4.11 $4.11

-35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.98 $1.98

-14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$14.77 $14.77

91.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.56 $1.56

-32.69%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.6K $36.6K

-1.25%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

-0.74%

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

$321 $321

$136 $136

136.26%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$54.6 $54.6

1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 $85.0

$76.4 $76.4

11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$245 $245

$148 $148

65.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.52 $31.52

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$16.94 $16.94

-13.16%

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

$1,868 $1,868

$2,480 $2,480

-24.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$19.8K $19.8K

53.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$43.07 $43.07

29.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 $37.65

$36.91 $36.91

2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$81.3 $81.3

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$136 $136

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$2,614 $2,614

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 $2,454

$2,519 $2,519

-2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,393 $5,393

$6,101 $6,101

-11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,043 $5,043

$4,138 $4,138

21.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,913 $6,913

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,999 $4,999

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,090 $5,090

$6,800 $6,800

-25.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.63

0.15%

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

Last update for Waltham, MA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Alameda, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waltham, MA

$2.5K 58.4%

Alameda, CA

$2.5K 61.2% 2.7% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waltham, MA

$462 11%

Alameda, CA

$267 6.5% 42.2% $195

Groceries & Markets

Waltham, MA

$457 10.9%

Alameda, CA

$469 11.4% 2.5% $12

Eating Out

Waltham, MA

$360 8.6%

Alameda, CA

$421 10.2% 16.9% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Waltham, MA

$275 6.5%

Alameda, CA

$182 4.4% 33.7% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Waltham, MA

$123 2.9%

Alameda, CA

$134 3.3% 8.5% $11

Getting Around

Waltham, MA

$70 * 1.7%

Alameda, CA

$121 3% 72.6% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,457 in Waltham, MA versus $2,614 in Alameda, 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 34% higher in Alameda, 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 $97.0 in Waltham, MA versus $102 in Alameda, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $469 – making Waltham, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 Alameda, CA

🕒 Local time

05:43 5:43 AM

02:43 2:43 AM

3 h behind Waltham, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,636

77,624

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Waltham, MA Alameda, CA 4,310 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Waltham, MA
Alameda, 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

Waltham, MA vs Alameda, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,201 in Waltham, MA, $4,114 in Alameda, CA – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,302 per month in Waltham, MA and $6,170 in Alameda, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,868 per month in Waltham, MA and $2,480 in Alameda, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Waltham, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$5,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,201 in Waltham, MA and $4,114 in Alameda, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Alameda, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $4,114 in Alameda, CA to $4,201 in Waltham, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Alameda, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Waltham, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.