Austin vs Boston
On balanced weights, Boston comes out ahead: 61 against 53 out of 100, mostly on research output and clean air. Your own weights, salary and household can change the answer; every figure below names its source.
Make it yours: compare Austin and Boston with your own numbers
The verdict on default settings
The lines that move the score most: research output (Boston, +8.9 points); winter daylight (Austin, +1.8 points); clean air (Boston, +1.6 points).
Balanced weights are the app's starting point, not a judgement: weights are set by you. Where a city lacks a figure, it gets the average score of the two on that line, so missing data neither helps nor hurts.
Line by line
| Line | Austin | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Money left each monthAfter tax, rent and everyday spending, what do you keep? | at most €820 a month; money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)American Community Survey 1-year estimates; World Development Indicators | at most -€5 a month; money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)American Community Survey 1-year estimates; World Development Indicators |
| Cost of livingWhat does a month cost you there, rent included? | money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)American Community Survey 1-year estimates; World Development Indicators | money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)American Community Survey 1-year estimates; World Development Indicators |
| Nice daysHow many days a year are dry, mostly clear and feel the way you like? | 48 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 43 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Winter daylightHow long is the shortest day of the year? | 10 h 11 min | 9 h 04 min |
| SunshineHow many hours of sunshine in a year? | 2,435 h a yearMeteostat climate normals | 2,545 h a yearMeteostat climate normals |
| Dry daysHow many days a year does it rain? | 115 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 125 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Clean airHow much fine dust (PM2.5) is in the air over a year? | 9.4 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) | 6.4 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) |
| SafetyHow rare is violent death (homicides per 100,000 people a year)? | 5.8 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) | 5.8 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Long, healthy livesHow long do people live there? | 78.9 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) | 78.9 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Health costsWhat does your household pay for health care itself each month? | €110 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) | €110 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Childcare costsWhat does full-time childcare cost you each month, after public support? | no child of childcare age | no child of childcare age |
| Paid leave for parentsHow many weeks of fully paid leave do a mother and a father get between them? | 0 weeks (mother 0, father 0)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) | 0 weeks (mother 0, father 0)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) |
| HappinessHow do people there rate their own lives, 0 to 10? | no data | no data |
| Research outputHow much research and invention happens around you, per resident? | 47 of 100OpenAlex institutions | 84 of 100OpenAlex institutions |
| Time difference from homeHow many hours apart are the clocks there and at home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Flight homeHow long is a nonstop flight home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Airport nearbyHow far is the nearest major airport? | 11 kmOurAirports airports | 4 kmOurAirports airports |
| Public transportWhat share of commuters take the bus, tram, metro or train? | 4 % of commutersAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates | 32 % of commutersAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates |
| Rail and metro stationsHow many train and metro stations are within 10 km of the centre? | 7 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 97 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Short commutesHow long does the average journey to work take? | 24 minutesAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates | 32 minutesAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates |
| Cycle networkHow many km of cycle paths and separated cycle tracks are there per km² of land around the centre? | 1.17 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 1.33 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Everyday needs on footFrom what share of streets are a food shop, a pharmacy, a school, a park and a stop all within about 15 minutes' walk? | 76 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 88 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Walking and cycling to workWhat share of commuters walk or cycle to work? | 5.0 % of commutersAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates | 19.8 % of commutersAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates |
| Quick way out by bikeHow far does a cyclist ride from the centre before the dense city ends? | 4.5 km, about 18 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics | 8.9 km, about 36 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics |
| Near the seaHow far is the sea? | 200 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) | 1 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) |
| Near the mountainsHow far are the mountains (ground 1,000 m above the city)? | 300 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data | 172 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data |
| Green spaceHow much of the land around the centre is park, wood or other green space? | 19.7 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 12.9 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Fast internetHow fast are typical internet connections? | 93 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) | 58 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) |
| English spokenWhat share of people speak English? | 96 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) | 96 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) |
| International crowdWhat share of residents were born abroad? | 20.6 % born abroadAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates | 28.2 % born abroadAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates |
| DoctorsHow many doctors are there per 1,000 people? | 3.7 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) | 3.7 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) |
| JobsWhat share of people who want work cannot find it? | 4.2 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) | 4.2 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Graduates aroundWhat share of adults hold a degree or another qualification above school level? | 69.0 % of adultsAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates | 67.4 % of adultsAmerican Community Survey 1-year estimates |
| Developers aroundHow many people per 1,000 residents name the city as their location on GitHub? | 44.2 per 1,000GitHub user search | 69.7 per 1,000GitHub user search |
| Clean governmentHow well is corruption kept out of public life? | 0.87 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) | 0.87 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) |
| Politics, left to rightHow close is the way the place votes to where you stand, from left to right? | no data | no data |
| Abortion lawHow close is the law on ending a pregnancy to the one you want? | not allowed, or only to save her life; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited | on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited |
| Same-sex couples in lawHow close is the law on same-sex couples to the one you want? | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Founders Running ClubIs there a Founders Running Club chapter? | a chapterFounders Running Club communities | a chapterFounders Running Club communities |
| Coworking spacesHow many coworking spaces are within 10 km of the centre? | 12 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 14 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Climbing gymsHow many climbing gyms are within 10 km of the centre? | 4 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 9 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Swimming poolsHow many public pools are within 10 km of the centre? | 16 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 21 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Beach daysHow many days a year are hot, sunny and dry enough for the beach or a pool? | 28 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 13 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Run or ride daysOn how many days is there a dry, calm, cool-to-mild window for a run or a ride? | 176 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 210 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few muggy daysHow many days a year is the air sticky with humidity? | 161 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 40 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few grey daysHow many days a year is the sky overcast through the day? | 99 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 132 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Cool nights for sleepingHow many nights a year stay above 20 °C? | 154 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 24 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few heat-stress daysHow many days a year feel 32 °C or hotter? | 148 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 29 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few snow daysHow many days a year bring fresh snow? | 1 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 12 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few windy daysHow many days a year are windy through the day? | 3 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 4 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
Who may move where depends on your passports: see each city's page, or add your household in the app.
Money on €60,000 a year
| A month | Austin | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | €4,175 | €3,926 |
| Rent and everyday spending | €3,356 | €3,931 |
| Left each month | €820 | −€5 |
Assumed: one person, €60,000 gross a year, renting a one-bedroom home, and everyday spending of €1,200 a month in Lisbon scaled by each country's price level. These are the app's defaults; change any of them there.
Climate month by month
| Month | Austin | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 to 16 °C | −5 to 3 °C |
| Feb | 6 to 18 °C | −6 to 4 °C |
| Mar | 12 to 24 °C | −1 to 9 °C |
| Apr | 16 to 27 °C | 4 to 14 °C |
| May | 20 to 30 °C | 10 to 20 °C |
| Jun | 24 to 34 °C | 16 to 26 °C |
| Jul | 25 to 35 °C | 19 to 29 °C |
| Aug | 25 to 36 °C | 18 to 27 °C |
| Sep | 23 to 33 °C | 15 to 23 °C |
| Oct | 18 to 29 °C | 9 to 18 °C |
| Nov | 12 to 22 °C | 2 to 11 °C |
| Dec | 10 to 20 °C | −2 to 6 °C |
Air temperature in the shade, average daily low to high (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2021-2025).
Questions this page answers
Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Boston?
For one person renting a one-bedroom home, Austin is cheaper: about €3,356 a month against €3,931, rent and everyday spending included. Rent comes from official rent statistics and everyday spending is scaled by each country's World Bank price level.
How much do you take home on €60,000 a year in Austin and in Boston?
About US$56,055 a year in Austin (United States 2026 tax rules) and US$52,709 in Boston (United States 2026 tax rules), after income tax and employee social contributions.
Which is warmer, Austin or Boston?
Austin is warmer: average daily highs of the air over the year are 26.9 °C against 15.7 °C in Boston (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), Open-Meteo, 2021-2025).
Which has cleaner air, Austin or Boston?
Boston has cleaner air: an annual PM2.5 mean of 6.4 µg/m³ against 9.4 µg/m³ (WHO Ambient Air Quality Database; WHO guideline 5 µg/m³; 2021 and 2022).
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Cite this page
Borgo, “Austin vs Boston”, https://borgo.abcastor.com/compare/austin-us-vs-boston-us/, figures as of 2026-11-05, reference profile. Name the original source of any figure you quote.