Boston vs New York: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison

On median home value, Boston comes in at $684,900 — 6% lower than New York, where the median is $732,100.

Households earn a median $89,212 in Boston, compared with $76,607 in New York.

Boston's median rent sits at $1,981, against $1,714 in New York.

FEMA rates New York's natural-hazard risk higher than Boston's: Relatively High versus Relatively Moderate.

Metric	Boston, MA	New York, NY
Population	665,945	8,622,467
Median home value	$684,900	$732,100
Median household income	$89,212	$76,607
Median gross rent	$1,981	$1,714
Climate risk (FEMA)	Relatively Moderate	Relatively High

Home value and rent point in different directions here: Boston, MA has the edge on home value, New York, NY on rent.

Moving between Boston and New York

Boston and New York are 190 miles apart in a straight line.

What changes when you move	Boston → New York	New York → Boston
Median rent	−$267/mo (−13%)	+$267/mo (+16%)
Median home value	+$47,200 (+7%)	−$47,200 (−6%)
Median household income	−$12,605 (−14%)	+$12,605 (+16%)

Estimated moving cost (either direction)

Home size	Estimated cost
Studio / 1-bedroom	$625 – $961
2-3 bedroom	$1,835 – $2,796
4+ bedroom house	$3,355 – $5,100

Estimates based on typical per-mile and per-room moving-industry rates; actual quotes vary by mover, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Boston, MA New York, NY

219 miles estimated driving distance · 3.7 hours of highway driving

DIY Truck Rental

$347 – $443

Includes an estimated $77 in fuel (22 gal at ~10 mpg) over 1 driving day.

Professional Movers

$1,790 – $2,971

Full-service crew, loading and unloading included.

Estimates based on typical rental-truck, fuel, and professional-mover industry rates; actual quotes vary by carrier, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey; FEMA National Risk Index

Data last updated July 2026.