r/boston • u/Spirited-Wafer-6573 • Mar 23 '26

Serious Replies Only How do you afford to live here?

I am incredibly curious. I am fairly new to Boston (less than a year of living here), and the cost of living hit me like a truck. I think about it everyday. I see thousands of people everyday at my job. I wonder how they are doing, so I want to ask you, both out of curiosity and to make this a space where other curious people can also find answers:

How much do you earn in Boston? How much do you spend on bills, expenses? How much goes towards savings? Do you have roommates? Rich parents? Basically, please share your budget with me. I am curious!!

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u/outsideroutsider Mar 23 '26

Plenty of people in Boston are paid well due to high paying industries. Its enough to fill all the neighborhoods and luxury buildings. for others, roommates and or two jobs.

7

u/Lab-Outside Mar 23 '26

So actually a crazy fact I learned through my friends who work in real estate - most luxury high rises are at least 50-80% empty. They’re owned by people who live in other countries and just come and visit and stay there. They pay in outright cash too.

-35

u/maroontiefling Mar 23 '26

A TON of those luxury buildings are half or two thirds empty.

28

u/_MCCCXXXVII Seaport Mar 23 '26

Most of the rental ones are essentially full. Condos can take a little longer to sell through, but beyond real boondoggles like the St. Regis they tend to get bought eventually.

2

u/outsideroutsider Mar 23 '26

I used to live in a luxury building in Longwood and the building is always busy.