Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $32,050 in Berkshire County, MA, or $17,950 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Berkshire County, MA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Berkshire County, MA is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Berkshire County, MA is estimated to save $29,350 per year.
Cheaper County
Berkshire County, MASave about $29,350 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $32,050 in Berkshire County, MA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $115 per year. Housing saves $14,682 per year.
Housing: $14,682 lower in Berkshire County, MA
Taxes: $9,839 lower in Berkshire County, MA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $115 higher in Berkshire County, MA
Food: $185 lower in Berkshire County, MA
Transport: $145 lower in Berkshire County, MA
Suffolk County, MA→Berkshire County, MA
Equivalent salary in Berkshire County, MA
$32,050
-35.9% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Berkshire County, MA: $95,050
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Berkshire County, MA 55.14%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Berkshire County, MA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, MA to Berkshire County, MA is estimated to save $29,350 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $32,050 in Berkshire County, MA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -35.9% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $14,682 per year lower (-52.58%); Taxes is $9,839 per year lower (-48.34%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, MA and Berkshire County, MA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 74.2% of median family income in Suffolk County, MA and 55.1% in Berkshire County, MA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $14,682 per year lower in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Berkshire County, MA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $185 per year lower in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Berkshire County, MA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $145 per year lower in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Berkshire County, MA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $115 per year higher in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Berkshire County, MA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $4,615 per year lower in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Berkshire County, MA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, MA and Berkshire County, MA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Berkshire County, MA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $9,839 per year lower in Berkshire County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Berkshire County, MA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Berkshire County, MA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Berkshire County, MA
Annual Increase:
$115 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Berkshire County, MA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Berkshire County, MA
Annual Savings:
$14,682 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Berkshire County, MA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -53% lower | |
| Food | -4% lower | |
| Transport | -1% lower | |
| Healthcare | 2% higher | |
| Other Costs | -45% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -48% lower |
In Berkshire County, MA, modeled annual costs are $52,415 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Berkshire County, MA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Berkshire County, MA and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
