Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or Jacksonville?

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 53% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in Jacksonville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.

Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or Jacksonville?

Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Cambridge vs Jacksonville Cost of Living 2026

Cambridge

Massachusetts

$2,810/mo est.

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,810 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 53% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $126,469 in Cambridge, MA and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 47% higher in Cambridge, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Cambridge, MA

Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio

$2,236

$1,127

+50% in Cambridge, MA

1 Bedroom

$2,496

$1,146

+54% in Cambridge, MA

2 Bedroom

$2,980

$1,385

+54% in Cambridge, MA

3 Bedroom

$3,325

$1,545

+54% in Cambridge, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$1,040,500

$266,100

+74% in Cambridge, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$126,469

$66,981

+47% in Cambridge, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$66,620

$48,830

+27% in Cambridge, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

30.5 yr

36.4 yr

+5.9 yr in Jacksonville, FL

Homeownership

33.7%

57.4%

+23.7 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

80.2%

31.8%

+48.4 pp in Cambridge, MA

Avg Commute

26.1 min

24.1 min

+2.0 min in Cambridge, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

436.7

558.4

+28% in Jacksonville, FL

Property Crime

2,657.6

2,600.1

+2% in Cambridge, MA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.5°F

70.2°F

+18.7°F in Jacksonville, FL

Annual Precipitation

43.8 in

49.2 in

+5.4 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.07/gal

$3.83/gal

+6% in Cambridge, MA

Area: Massachusetts vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs JTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

29.6

15.1

+49% in Cambridge, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.66

$23.62

+23% in Cambridge, MA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Cambridge, MA

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Cambridge, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Jacksonville, FL

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Cambridge, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Cambridge, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Cambridge, MA

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / FL)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

9.00%

None

+9.0 pp in MA

Cambridge vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or Jacksonville?: Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 53% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in Jacksonville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or Jacksonville?: Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).