Boston sixth most expensive U.S. business hub—for sushi

Boston is the sixth most expensive major U.S. business hub for California and spicy tuna rolls, staples of sushi in America.

That is according to Bloomberg’s annual Sushinomics Index, which is not as funny as it sounds.

The analysis, culled from information on websites such as Yelp, Zagat, and OpenTable, measures not only the cost of the sushi, but the cost of everything that goes into it—including transportation, storage, rent, and skilled labor.

The index therefore offers insights into “the demographic trends that influence restaurant openings and offerings in various cities,” according to Bloomberg. It’s a good barometer, then, of the costliness of doing business/working in a particular locale.

Boston’s index value of 123.43 for 2018 is up 5.3 percent from 2017 and 2.4 percent from 2013. The value also places Boston squarely between Los Angeles and Phoenix-Tempe. New York City led the index, followed by Seattle, San Francisco, and Miami.

• These are the most expensive U.S. cities, based on sushi prices [Bloomberg/Crain’s]