Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $26,360 in Cuyahoga County, OH, or $23,640 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Cuyahoga County, OH: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Cuyahoga County, OH is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Cuyahoga County, OH is estimated to save $38,656 per year.
Cheaper County
Cuyahoga County, OHSave about $38,656 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $26,360 in Cuyahoga County, OH.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Cuyahoga County, OH. Housing saves $17,344 per year.
Housing: $17,344 lower in Cuyahoga County, OH
Taxes: $13,021 lower in Cuyahoga County, OH
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $214 lower in Cuyahoga County, OH
Food: $288 lower in Cuyahoga County, OH
Transport: $2,315 lower in Cuyahoga County, OH
Suffolk County, MA→Cuyahoga County, OH
Equivalent salary in Cuyahoga County, OH
$26,360
-47.28% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Cuyahoga County, OH: $86,863
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Cuyahoga County, OH 49.63%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Cuyahoga County, OH.
* 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 Cuyahoga County, OH is estimated to save $38,656 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $26,360 in Cuyahoga County, OH. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -47.28% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $17,344 per year lower (-62.11%); Taxes is $13,021 per year lower (-63.98%).
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 Cuyahoga County, OH, 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 49.6% in Cuyahoga County, OH. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $17,344 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH than in Suffolk County, MA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Cuyahoga County, OH changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $288 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Cuyahoga County, OH can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,315 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH 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 Cuyahoga County, OH.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $214 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Cuyahoga County, OH changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $5,474 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Cuyahoga County, OH 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 Cuyahoga County, OH, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Cuyahoga County, OH, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $13,021 per year lower in Cuyahoga County, OH than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Cuyahoga County, OH 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 Cuyahoga County, OH.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Cuyahoga County, OH
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Cuyahoga County, OH.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Cuyahoga County, OH
Annual Savings:
$17,344 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Cuyahoga County, OH.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -62% lower | |
| Food | -6% lower | |
| Transport | -18% lower | |
| Healthcare | -4% lower | |
| Other Costs | -53% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -64% lower |
In Cuyahoga County, OH, modeled annual costs are $43,109 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Cuyahoga County, OH. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Cuyahoga County, OH and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
