boston cost of living

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manvswild

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obviously boston is an expensive city, but i am trying to roughly estimate my budget
does this look accurate?

PER MONTH
rent+ utilities= 1200
food= 600?
entertainment= 300
household supplies= 200
clothes/haircuts/etc= 200
phone, text= 50
med insurance may or may not be included with tuition

about 2500/month times 12 months = less than 30,000 per year with a little leeway?

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obviously boston is an expensive city, but i am trying to roughly estimate my budget
does this look accurate?

PER MONTH
rent+ utilities= 1200
food= 600?
entertainment= 300
household supplies= 200
clothes/haircuts/etc= 200
phone, text= 50
med insurance may or may not be included with tuition

about 2500/month times 12 months = less than 30,000 per year with a little leeway?

wow!!! I dont know where you're going to school, but when I was at BU, they only gave me ~$1500 to spend for living expenses. If the above are absolutely necessary for you, you need to take out private loans, which will have higher interest.

Just wondering..are you a guy or a girl?
 
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Try this.


rent+ utilities= 950
food(roman noodles etc)= 200?
entertainment= 30 household supplies= 80
clothes/haircuts/etc= 50
phone, text= 50
med insurance may or may not be included with tuition

about 1280/month times 12 months = less than 15,360 per year with a little leeway
 
You also have to remember that the financial aid is only going to cover your living expenses for the number of months you are in school (normally only 9 or 10 months) so you can't multiply the monthly number by 12.
 
I've lived in Boston for quite a while so, I can probably give you some tips.

A car--> I found it to be not totally a necessity but came in handy alot of times although, parking is outrageous, I pay $300 a month for garaged parking 5 blocks from my apartment, I'm sure you may be able to find something a little cheaper.. but possibly not

Rent --> your rent sounds about right, I have payed anywhere between $600 to $2000 a month rent (my share of rent) but, let me tell you anything under $1200 a month will be nastyyyy, this is if you are planning to live IN the city and not surrounding locations

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me!
 
Also, living with other people, finding roomates REALLY helps cut down on the rent.

In the complex I live in now (very nice) a single is 1800 a month and a double (two bedrooms) is 2100... A HUGE difference.
 
you could probably cut back that $600 food budget. I don't live on the East coast, but that sounds like an awful lot for food.
 
you could probably cut back that $600 food budget. I don't live on the East coast, but that sounds like an awful lot for food.

Agreed. I typically don't spend more than $150-200/mo. for food...
 
you could probably cut back that $600 food budget. I don't live on the East coast, but that sounds like an awful lot for food.

Agreed. I live here, and you shouldn't need half that for food, but you will need more than your planned amount for rent, unless you are sharing a place.
 
150/month for food?
this could really help me out!
so that's about 35/week for food?
how do you manage this?
i feel like once i buy healthy foods (vegetables, fruits, salads, lean protein, etc) it gets really expensive really quickly
i do agree that 400/month is more resonable, i was thinking the extra 200 for going out do dinner on the weekends?
 
I question the $400/month you have for clothes, haircuts, and household supplies. I think this could get trimmed down to $50/month easily.

Personally I spend about $13/month on a haircut (that's one $11 haircut and $2 tip) and don't buy any clothes or household supplies.
 
I question the $400/month you have for clothes, haircuts, and household supplies. I think this could get trimmed down to $50/month easily.

Personally I spend about $13/month on a haircut (that's one $11 haircut and $2 tip) and don't buy any clothes or household supplies.

That's really cheap for a haircut. The only time that I spent that little was going to mine at home because she ran the business out of her house.

I agree that the household supplies will not be that much. Once you put forth the initial investment in the basics and cleaning supplies you won't need to spend money on this for a while. I clean my aparment once a week and I can go months without having to buy cleaning supplies.
 
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Look up if there's a beautician's school near your house for cheap haircuts. Of course, if you end up with your hair butchered, you may wish you'd paid a bit more :)
 
obviously boston is an expensive city, but i am trying to roughly estimate my budget
does this look accurate?

PER MONTH
rent+ utilities= 1200
food= 600?
entertainment= 300
household supplies= 200
clothes/haircuts/etc= 200
phone, text= 50
med insurance may or may not be included with tuition

about 2500/month times 12 months = less than 30,000 per year with a little leeway?
You really need to cut down on those g-string tips at the strip club! :D:laugh::hardy:
 
That's really cheap for a haircut.

I know, and this is in Manhattan (oh, and I'm male). My haircut is pretty simple so no real skill is required, but I do occassionally worry about hepatitis. :scared:
 
This is going to sound funny but...in a big city you can actually get a cheaper haircut than in a smaller city, just because there's more competition. In NYC if you can easily get a men's haircut for $8 or less.

Of course you can also get a more expensive haircut since the crazy high end boutique places are also going to be in the big cities.

I noticed that a lot of the prices went down in parts of the city that were near Chinatown, probably due to the competition from cheaper Chinatown barbershops...but at the same time the prices in Chinatown went up since boutique places started to move in from SoHo. Kind of funny :laugh:

Anyways, you can get a good haircut even if you're a girl for fairly cheap (not nearly as cheap as for guys), but definitely not $400 a month for hair, lol.

And what's with the $600/month estimate for food?! Learn to cook or something, jeez.

P.S. The $8 haircut isn't even the cheapest haircut I can get, lol...there's one for $6 (and to be honest, I've had expensive haircuts and cheap haircuts...and they don't neccessarily look better if they're more money, or they look 5% better and cost 500% more)
 
Rent --> your rent sounds about right, I have payed anywhere between $600 to $2000 a month rent (my share of rent) but, let me tell you anything under $1200 a month will be nastyyyy, this is if you are planning to live IN the city and not surrounding locations

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me!


I'm also moving into Boston and I have no idea how much things cost. Is rent really that bad??? I am hoping to live in or near Chinatown for tufts. Are those inflated prices you listed living by yourself or with roommates?
 
I'm also moving into Boston and I have no idea how much things cost. Is rent really that bad??? I am hoping to live in or near Chinatown for tufts. Are those inflated prices you listed living by yourself or with roommates?

I live in the Boston area and I honestly wouldn't recommend living in chinatown directly. It gets kinda sketchy at night. I know you prob want to be near school, but there's a subway stop right in front of Tufts med - the people I know who go there live in other places along the subway system. Just my thoughts.
 
I'm also moving into Boston and I have no idea how much things cost. Is rent really that bad??? I am hoping to live in or near Chinatown for tufts. Are those inflated prices you listed living by yourself or with roommates?

I remember when I was in Boston two summers ago that 1br apartments in Cambridge were going for $1000 plus utilities per month. That rent estimate sounded pretty good to me.
 
I'm also moving into Boston and I have no idea how much things cost. Is rent really that bad??? I am hoping to live in or near Chinatown for tufts. Are those inflated prices you listed living by yourself or with roommates?

Chinatown is really NOISY, and really dirty, and the apartments there can be 5 or 6 story walkups - no elevators...lots of road/highway construction in Chinatown...yes, rents are a little cheaper there, but there is always a catch in an expensive city...great food, though - try the daily dim sum at Chow Chow City...
 
I know, and this is in Manhattan (oh, and I'm male). My haircut is pretty simple so no real skill is required, but I do occassionally worry about hepatitis. :scared:

Being male definitely makes it cheaper. Having shoulder length uber thick hair makes me more picky on who I allow to cut my hair. The plus is that I don't have to get it cut as often since it isn't as noticeable when it grows a little as it is for guys (unless you look like Joakim Noah...)
 
I remember when I was in Boston two summers ago that 1br apartments in Cambridge were going for $1000 plus utilities per month. That rent estimate sounded pretty good to me.

And Cambridge varies greatly in terms of location, access to the T, quality and neighborhood sketchiness, so rents there are typically a little lower than in the Symphony / Prudential / Back Bay / South End where the med and dental students congregate...$1000 a month there gets you an absolute DUMPy studio apartment...the only way to save on rent in Boston is to crowd into an apartment or group house with others...people advertise "bedrooms" on Craigslist for $600 that are nothing more than small dining areas or closets with no windows, so beware...
 
Chinatown is really NOISY, and really dirty, and the apartments there can be 5 or 6 story walkups - no elevators...lots of road/highway construction in Chinatown...yes, rents are a little cheaper there, but there is always a catch in an expensive city...great food, though - try the daily dim sum at Chow Chow City...

why do so many people like chow chow city so much? I personally find the food mediocre and the place is so dirty. CCC is only good for grabbing late night grub after the clubs close out b/c its one of the few restaurants still open that late.
 
obviously boston is an expensive city, but i am trying to roughly estimate my budget
does this look accurate?

PER MONTH
rent+ utilities= 1200
food= 600?
entertainment= 300
household supplies= 200
clothes/haircuts/etc= 200
phone, text= 50
med insurance may or may not be included with tuition

about 2500/month times 12 months = less than 30,000 per year with a little leeway?

Those are some generous numbers. There are some bargains out there to reduce the cost of rent by 30-50% if you are willing to live farther from school like in the Brighton, Allston, and Brookline area. But it really depends on how you want to live and whether you can afford the lifestyle...I dont know what your situation is. But most people can get by with the budget below:

rent+ utilities= 1200 (try 850 by sharing a 2 bedroom)
food= 600? (try 350...there will be a lot of free lunches at school for all those talks/meetings :D)
entertainment= 300 (try 200)
household supplies= 200 (that's a lot for supplies....try 50)
clothes/haircuts/etc= 200 (try 100)
phone, text= 50

For a grand total of $1600. Anybody else from boston think this is reasonable?
 
I lived on Park Drive last summer (5 minute walk from fenway park, 10 minute walk to HMS, 1 minute walk to either C or D line). Rent was 2100 for a 3 bedroom apt, so 700 for a great room in a great location.

There's really no reason in the world to get a 1BR when you can save 500-1000 a month by having a couple roomates.
 
150/month for food?
this could really help me out!
so that's about 35/week for food?
how do you manage this?
i feel like once i buy healthy foods (vegetables, fruits, salads, lean protein, etc) it gets really expensive really quickly
i do agree that 400/month is more resonable, i was thinking the extra 200 for going out do dinner on the weekends?

Not really. Try buying the least expensive fruits or veggies (green peppers instead of red, normal carrots as opposed to baby carrots, etc). As far as fruit goes bananas, apples, and grapes are usually pretty cheap.

The most expensive thing is usually meat. Try buying chicken breasts ($5 a package? of 3), or fish, if you like it. They are healthier options than red meat anyway. I'd say $10 of meat per week is reasonable.

35/week on food is very doable for 1 person, although occasionally you'll spend more or less depending on what you need and how many leftovers from last week you have.
 
I lived on Park Drive last summer (5 minute walk from fenway park, 10 minute walk to HMS, 1 minute walk to either C or D line). Rent was 2100 for a 3 bedroom apt, so 700 for a great room in a great location.

There's really no reason in the world to get a 1BR when you can save 500-1000 a month by having a couple roomates.

But then you have to have roommates.
 
But then you have to have roommates.

MOST students are not going to be able to afford Boston w/o roommates.
The OP has really underestimated the rent if s/he is thinking about living alone.
 
MOST students are not going to be able to afford Boston w/o roommates.
The OP has really underestimated the rent if s/he is thinking about living alone.

I'm just saying, not everyone wants a roommate.
 
why do so many people like chow chow city so much? I personally find the food mediocre and the place is so dirty. CCC is only good for grabbing late night grub after the clubs close out b/c its one of the few restaurants still open that late.

Well, you said it yourself - people love the place. I have only had the dim sum, and it is top notch, as good as I have had in SF, NYC, and Chicago...have never ordered off a menu.
 
35/week on food is very doable for 1 person, although occasionally you'll spend more or less depending on what you need and how many leftovers from last week you have.

I agree that $35/week is doable, especially if you rely on seminar lunches and such. We spend ~$100/week for a family of four, and even though my daughter doesn't eat much, my son eats easily as much as I do. The key is not to eat out too much.
 
Well, you said it yourself - people love the place. I have only had the dim sum, and it is top notch, as good as I have had in SF, NYC, and Chicago...have never ordered off a menu.

well...i guess i just have had better dim sum...prolly why im so picky. Ever been to Orange County in So Cal or San Jose...real good dim sum over there. :D
 
Not really. Try buying the least expensive fruits or veggies (green peppers instead of red, normal carrots as opposed to baby carrots, etc). As far as fruit goes bananas, apples, and grapes are usually pretty cheap.

The most expensive thing is usually meat. Try buying chicken breasts ($5 a package? of 3), or fish, if you like it. They are healthier options than red meat anyway. I'd say $10 of meat per week is reasonable.

35/week on food is very doable for 1 person, although occasionally you'll spend more or less depending on what you need and how many leftovers from last week you have.

I think that is totally dependent on where you live. 3 pack of chicken breast here is more like 7 or 8 dollars. The fresh fruit and veggies are pretty expensive as well. I spend about 60 dollars a week, and I don't buy any junk food.
 
I've lived in Boston for quite a while so, I can probably give you some tips...

...I have payed anywhere between $600 to $2000 a month rent (my share of rent) but, let me tell you anything under $1200 a month will be nastyyyy, this is if you are planning to live IN the city and not surrounding locations...
I've heard the horror stories about crazy cost of living in Boston also; my sister just moved into very seedy apartment in SF and I know how bad "bargain shopping" for a place to live can end up.

I was looking into a residency at MGH, and I suppose that's about as "in the city" as you can get. The PGY years all would pay 50k+, so $/rent/car should be managable once I get started. My concern was more about the initial $ needed to get set up in New England. What do most decent places require up there... credit check? First+ last + deposit? Etc? How much $ down should I plan on having saved up if I got serious about the residency and went to look for a place there?

Thanks much for any help...
 
I only know one person in Boston who lives on their own, and they make ~70k/year, but if your trust fund has $1500/month, go nuts, I would, except I don't have a trust fund.

BU is kind of a pain because it's not near any major subway routes, it is, however, on the 1 bus line, which runs about every 5 minutes from 5am to 1 am and goes straight up Mass Ave to Harvard Square in Cambridge in about 25-30 minutes, depending on time of day; I used to use this route all the time, and found it to be extremely reliable. Pretty much the only reliable bus route in the city. I'd see about living in Cambridge. I live in Inman Sq., which is about a 10 minute walk from Harvard and Central Squares, where you can pick up either the 1 or the red line. Best part: I have two awesome roommates and my rent is $400/month for a decent apartment with a good sized room.

For Tufts, I'd look to Jamaica Plain, Medford, or Somerville; basically somewhere along the orange line. One thing to remember though: much of the orange line was installed along a route that was originally planned as a superhighway that was to cut straight through Boston, so naturally, the neighborhoods it runs through tend to be slightly unsavory. That said, I spent three years in the sketchiest part of Jamaica Plain, and next to Inman, it is my favorite neighborhood in Boston.

Harvard. You're gonna pay. It's really only along the green line, which happens to run through the nicer areas of Boston and points west. You'll probably end up living in the Longwood area or around Mission Hill. I lived on Mission Hill for a few years, and it was pretty much a student ghetto when I lived there, but when I went there recently, it's changed a TON, probably for the better.

In case you can't tell, I don't mind living in sketchy and dirty neighborhoods to save a few bucks. I've lived here for going on 9 years now, so feel free to ask any questions about specific areas, chances are I can tell you something about them.
 
I've heard the horror stories about crazy cost of living in Boston also; my sister just moved into very seedy apartment in SF and I know how bad "bargain shopping" for a place to live can end up.

I was looking into a residency at MGH, and I suppose that's about as "in the city" as you can get. The PGY years all would pay 50k+, so $/rent/car should be managable once I get started. My concern was more about the initial $ needed to get set up in New England. What do most decent places require up there... credit check? First+ last + deposit? Etc? How much $ down should I plan on having saved up if I got serious about the residency and went to look for a place there?

Thanks much for any help...

Most places require first/last/deposit (which can't exceed 1 mo rent), and many will also require a 'finders fee', which is also a month's rent.
 
Most places require first/last/deposit (which can't exceed 1 mo rent), and many will also require a 'finders fee', which is also a month's rent.

Renting through a real estate agent is a sure fire way to have to pay "key money" A/K/A a finder's fee or agent's fee...but even individuals renting out rooms are pretty savvy and tend to charge first/last/security totalling 3 months up front...

Another thing about Boston - almost no such thing as a "school year" lease - they want 12 months, nothing less...can really add up if you are paying for summer months you are not there...
 
Was wondering if anyone who knows boston and the SOUTH END could let me know where exactly i should avoid looking for places because of unsafe areas. I would like to be within 5 (maybe 10) min. walking distance of BU Medical Center, so I am only interested in any suggestions about the South End. Would it be best to stay east of Mass Ave?? I think I saw someone say that in an archived post. Thanks a lot for any help you can provide.
 
Harvard. You're gonna pay. It's really only along the green line, which happens to run through the nicer areas of Boston and points west. You'll probably end up living in the Longwood area or around Mission Hill. I lived on Mission Hill for a few years, and it was pretty much a student ghetto when I lived there, but when I went there recently, it's changed a TON, probably for the better.

lol. you gotta look around. when i was living in boston i leased an apartment in harvard square for $600 util. included. then again, it was a basement apartment. Before that I was living in central sq. for $500 w/o utils. look around, craigslist will be your best friend.

am i glad i'm not living in boston anymore...one hella expensive city....just saw The Departed last night...lol brought back all those good memories though.
 
lol. you gotta look around. when i was living in boston i leased an apartment in harvard square for $600 util. included. then again, it was a basement apartment. Before that I was living in central sq. for $500 w/o utils. look around, craigslist will be your best friend.

am i glad i'm not living in boston anymore...one hella expensive city....just saw The Departed last night...lol brought back all those good memories though.

Yeah, I second that. Just signed a 575/month heat and hot water included (a must, it'll run you 200/month in the winter) on coolidge corner, 10 min walk to Longwood and HMS. Craig is my hero.
 
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