Rent vs Buy in Boston, MA

Boston, MA Assumptions

Home Purchase
Ongoing Costs
Rental
Growth
Tax
Projection

Buy Net Worth

Rent Net Worth

Break-Even

Verdict

Net Worth Over Time — Boston, MA

Year-by-Year Comparison

Year-by-year rent vs buy comparison for Boston, MA
Year Buy
Net Worth
Rent
Net Worth
Difference Monthly
Buy Cost
Monthly
Rent

Cities & Towns in Boston, MA

This calculator's defaults reflect the broader Boston, MA metropolitan area, including:

  • Boston
  • Cambridge
  • Newton
  • Brookline
  • Quincy
  • Somerville
  • Waltham
  • Lexington
  • Concord
  • Wellesley
  • Needham
  • Arlington
  • Medford
  • Malden

Region: Northeast. Housing cost-of-living index: 245 (national avg = 100). Composite cost-of-living: 148.

About this Boston, MA estimate

The default home price and rent come from the Boston, MA metropolitan area's housing cost-of-living index applied to national 2025 medians ($420,000 home, $1,850/mo rent for a typical 2-3 BR). The property tax rate is the average effective rate for Massachusetts per the Tax Foundation. These are starting points — adjust to match your specific listing, neighborhood, and tax bill.