City Comparison

Cambridge vs Everett

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Cambridge

Massachusetts
178
Very Expensive
$890,000
Median Home
$3,100/mo
Median Rent
$103,154
Median Income

Everett

Washington
136
Expensive
$575,000
Median Home
$1,800/mo
Median Rent
$75,400
Median Income

The Verdict

30.9%

Living in Everett costs 30.9% less than Cambridge. To match the purchasing power of a $75,000 salary in Cambridge, you would need $57,303 in Everett.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
280
Cambridge
192
Everett
Groceries
110
Cambridge
109
Everett
Utilities
126
Cambridge
92
Everett
Transportation
105
Cambridge
117
Everett
Healthcare
118
Cambridge
122
Everett

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Cambridge has the same purchasing power as $57,303 in Everett.

Conversely, $75,000 in Everett equals $98,162 in Cambridge.

Living in Cambridge vs Everett

Housing Costs

Cambridge's housing index of 280 is higher Everett's 192, translating to median home prices of $890,000 vs $575,000. The $315,000 difference in home prices means roughly $20,472 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $3,100/mo in Cambridge compared to $1,800/mo in Everett, a monthly difference of $1,300.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 110 in Cambridge and 109 in Everett. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $523/month in Cambridge vs $518/month in Everett. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 126 in Cambridge and 92 in Everett. Monthly utility bills average approximately $504 in Cambridge vs $368 in Everett. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 118 in Cambridge and 122 in Everett. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $103,154 in Cambridge and $75,400 in Everett. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,952 and $55,441 respectively. Cambridge residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite higher nominal wages.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $2,407/month to housing in Cambridge vs $1,759/month in Everett. In Cambridge, median rent of $3,100/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Everett, median rent of $1,800/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 88 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everett is 30.9% more affordable overall with an index of 136 vs 178.
A $75,000 salary in Cambridge has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $57,303 in Everett, based on the cost of living difference.
Cambridge's housing index is 280 with median homes at $890,000, while Everett's is 192 with median homes at $575,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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