Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $40,685 in Plymouth County, MA, or $9,315 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Plymouth County, MA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Plymouth County, MA is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Plymouth County, MA is estimated to save $15,229 per year.
Cheaper County
Plymouth County, MASave about $15,229 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $40,685 in Plymouth County, MA.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $794 per year. Housing saves $7,914 per year.
Housing: $7,914 lower in Plymouth County, MA
Taxes: $5,245 lower in Plymouth County, MA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $120 lower in Plymouth County, MA
Food: $219 lower in Plymouth County, MA
Transport: $794 higher in Plymouth County, MA
Suffolk County, MA→Plymouth County, MA
Equivalent salary in Plymouth County, MA
$40,685
-18.63% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Plymouth County, MA: $133,494
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Plymouth County, MA 49.84%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, MA is estimated to save $15,229 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $40,685 in Plymouth County, MA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -18.63% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $7,914 per year lower (-28.34%); Taxes is $5,245 per year lower (-25.77%).
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 Plymouth 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 49.8% in Plymouth County, MA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $7,914 per year lower in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, MA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $219 per year lower in Plymouth County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Plymouth County, MA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $794 per year higher in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, MA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $120 per year lower in Plymouth County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Plymouth County, MA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,525 per year lower in Plymouth County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, MA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Plymouth County, MA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $5,245 per year lower in Plymouth County, MA than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, MA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Plymouth County, MA
Annual Increase:
$794 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Plymouth County, MA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Plymouth County, MA
Annual Savings:
$7,914 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Plymouth County, MA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -28% lower | |
| Food | -4% lower | |
| Transport | 6% higher | |
| Healthcare | -2% lower | |
| Other Costs | -25% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -26% lower |
In Plymouth County, MA, modeled annual costs are $66,536 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Plymouth County, MA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Plymouth County, MA and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
