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Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
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Ames
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Ames vs Boston

$455/mo less in Boston

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

AmesBostonAbout 1,156 miles apart, a flight.

  • Boston costs you more
  • Rent under 30% of pay
  • Real winters

Same paycheck, two cities. $1,946/mo in Boston. $2,401/mo in Ames. −$5,460 a year.

Ames

$2,401

left each month

Boston

$1,946

−$455 vs Ames

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Boston wins 1 of 4Ames 3 · ties 0
$4,877Take-home · Boston$6,622
$760Rent · Ames$2,549
$1,716Other bills · Ames$2,127
$2,401Left over · Ames$1,946

Next

−$455 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthAmesBoston
Less leftMore left
Boston · this breakdownAmes · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Ames, IA and Boston, MA
Per monthAmesBostonDifference
Gross pay$6,208$9,036+$2,828
Income and payroll tax$1,332$2,414+$1,082
Take-home pay$4,877$6,622+$1,745
Rent$760$2,549+$1,789
Getting around$457$445−$12
Groceries$347$464+$117
Healthcare$391$522+$131
Utilities$217$290+$73
Everything else$304$406+$102
Left over$2,401$1,946−$455

Salary to match Ames

$117,000

Gross pay in Boston that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.

Tax difference

−$2,925

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.4% in Ames, 26.7% in Boston.

More about Boston

Ames, IA in full

A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.

Boston, MA in full

Great pay in medicine and research, brutal winters, tight housing stock.

The other way

Start in Boston.

Boston → Ames →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Boston than Ames?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Boston leaves about $455 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $2,549 in Boston.

Does Boston have state income tax?

Boston is in Massachusetts, which taxes wage income.

What changes if you move from Ames to Boston?

The paycheck is taxed in Massachusetts. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Boston changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.