Overall
California feels cheaper overall
California has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Massachusetts by 10.3 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
California vs Massachusetts: Cost of Living
California is cheaper overall by 10.3 cost-of-living points, but Massachusetts has lower median home values.
California
CA • West
138.5
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
148.8
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
California
138.5
Massachusetts
148.8
Difference: 10.3 points — California leads.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.4x more for a home
Massachusetts has the lower median home value, while buying in California costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Massachusetts puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Massachusetts than in California, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Massachusetts keeps more income after state tax
Massachusetts has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
California
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
138.5
Regional price parity
113.4
Regular gas price
$5.929/gal
Electricity price
30.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,856/mo
Median home value
$693,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
13.30%
State sales tax
7.25%
Property tax
0.70%
Income
Median household income
$84,097
Income after median rent
$5,152
Minimum wage
$16.90/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Massachusetts
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
148.8
Regional price parity
110.4
Regular gas price
$3.933/gal
Electricity price
31.16 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,678/mo
Median home value
$510,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.00%
State sales tax
6.25%
Property tax
1.07%
Income
Median household income
$96,505
Income after median rent
$6,364
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Massachusetts has lower median home values.
- California has the lower overall cost index.
- Massachusetts has the higher median household income.
- Massachusetts looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
California vs Massachusetts: Cost of Living in context
California has a cost of living of 138.5, compared with 148.8 in Massachusetts. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
California
138.5
Massachusetts
148.8
Difference
10.3 points
People Also Ask
California vs Massachusetts Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is California's cost of living?
California's cost of living is 138.5.
Q What is Massachusetts's cost of living?
Massachusetts's cost of living is 148.8.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — California or Massachusetts?
California is cheaper overall by 10.3 cost-of-living points, but Massachusetts has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: California vs Massachusetts
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.