Moving from Portland, ME to Boston
Your paycheck buys 5.5% less in Boston than in Portland, ME; you'd need about $101,400 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Boston: $101,400
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $101,400 in Boston, MA to match $95,000 in Portland, ME ($6,400 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Maine and Massachusetts state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Portland, ME vs Boston: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,590 → $2,093/mo
- Median home value
- $474,200 → $681,100
- Median household income
- $93,062 → $117,825
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 101.9 → 108.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → Among the highest
Portland, ME vs Boston cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Portland, ME | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 101.9 | 108.3 |
| Median rent | $1,590 | $2,093 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $63,600 | $83,720 |
| Median home value | $474,200 | $681,100 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,962 | $4,321 |
| Income needed to buy | $126,946 | $185,178 |
| Median property tax | $4,330 | $6,913 |
| State income tax on $95,000 | $4,771 | $4,530 |
| Metro population | 571,534 | 5,025,517 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Portland, ME vs Boston
On a $95,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $56,754 a year in Portland, ME and $60,793 in Boston if you rent: $4,039 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $73,219 and $87,527 ($14,308 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | Portland, MEBefore | BostonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $95,000, single filer | $24,584 | $24,305 | -$279 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,603 | $2,006 | +$403 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $856 | $1,326 | +$470 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,123 | $2,112 | -$11 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,508 | $5,928 | -$2,580 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,080 | $25,116 | +$6,036 |
| Total if you rent | $56,754 | $60,793 | +$4,039 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $30,134 | $43,282 | +$13,148 |
| Property tax median home | $4,330 | $6,913 | +$2,583 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,081 | $1,655 | +$574 |
| Total if you buy | $73,219 | $87,527 | +$14,308 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $15,730 a year in Portland, ME and $26,343 in Boston (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Portland, ME to Boston
About 1,961 households (2,651 people) moved from the Portland, ME metro area to the Boston metro area in 2022–2023, making Boston the #1 destination for people leaving Portland, ME among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,659 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $78,605.
Cost to move from Portland, ME to Boston
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 120 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Portland, ME vs Boston
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Portland, ME area above average (score 75.1) and the Boston area among the highest (score 93.2), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $244 vs $206 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Boston cheaper than Portland, ME?
Overall prices in the Boston area are 6.3% higher than in Portland, ME (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,093 vs $1,590 a month, and the median home is $681,100 vs $474,200.
What salary do I need in Boston to match $100,000 in Portland, ME?
About $106,500, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Maine and Massachusetts state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Portland, ME to Boston?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 120 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Portland, ME to Boston?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,961 households (2,651 people) moved from the Portland, ME metro area to the Boston metro area, and 2,659 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Portland, ME move
- New York 238 households
- Manchester 141 households
- Tampa 102 households
- Phoenix 88 households
- Worcester 88 households
- Los Angeles 85 households
- Miami 85 households
- Providence 85 households