Moving to Massachusetts from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Massachusetts — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from United Kingdom to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 17.3% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £56,672 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $82,329 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Kingdom to Massachusetts.

What does your salary buy?

£56,672 $82,329

To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 17.3% more

Groceries

pay 56.5% more

Transportation

pay 29.3% less

Housing

pay 47.0% more

Childcare

pay 36.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.32 USD (June 2026)

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 Massachusetts cost about 34% more than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Massachusetts

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Massachusetts, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
10,850 ↑ 3% vs 2022

people moved from United Kingdom to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Massachusetts.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

GB
27.8%
MA
28.8%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

GB
97.0%
MA
91.9%

United Kingdom performs better than Massachusetts across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.1%
MA
4.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
MA
$87,892

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GB
81.9 yrs
MA
79.0 yrs

United Kingdom performs better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Boston
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 66°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 78°/62°F (25°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 51°/38°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month London Boston
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than United Kingdom?

No — Massachusetts is on average about 10% more expensive than United Kingdom. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $20,582 in Massachusetts on a £56,672 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Massachusetts?

Usually fine from major cities in Massachusetts. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to United Kingdom?

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

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

The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 60°F in London. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Massachusetts?

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

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At a Glance

GB
Population 67,791,400 6,547,629
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +1
Time zones 9 11
Emergency number 999 911