Moving to United States from Massachusetts

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Massachusetts to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Massachusetts to United States, you would find that United States is 8.1% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $76,847 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and United States.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $76,847

To maintain the same standard of living in United States

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.3% less

Groceries

pay 4.3% less

Transportation

pay 0.8% more

Housing

pay 13.8% less

Childcare

pay 21.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in United States cost about 9% more than cities in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Massachusetts.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
US
36.2%

Massachusetts performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
US
92.0%

United States performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
US
$73,600

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
US
80.6 yrs

United States performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Washington
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Boston Washington
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United States than Massachusetts?

United States and Massachusetts are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to United States?

Budget about $19,212 for 3 months in United States (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United States?

From major United States cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and United States are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Massachusetts?

Massachusetts performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in United States compared to Massachusetts?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

Both Massachusetts and United States share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

US
Population 6,547,629 337,341,954