Baltimore, MD Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Baltimore, MD Summary
Cost of living in Baltimore research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Baltimore is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Baltimore is 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Baltimore is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Baltimore ranks as the #8 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.
Baltimore ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Baltimore is $184,876.
The median income in Baltimore is $59,623.
Table Of Contents
Baltimore's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Baltimore, MD?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Baltimore has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maryland, Baltimore has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Maryland's index of 121.
The standard of living in Baltimore ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Baltimore ranks as the #186 most expensive place in the Old Line State.
For more reading on life in Baltimore, check out:
In Maryland
In America
Baltimore Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Baltimore. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Baltimore is 103.
The Groceries index in Baltimore is 106.
The Health index in Baltimore is 96.
The Housing index in Baltimore is 96.
The Transportation index in Baltimore is 101.
The Utilities index in Baltimore is 113.
| Living Expense | Baltimore | Maryland | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 103 | 121 | 100 | |
| Services | 103 | 105 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 96 | 150 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 113 | 100 | |
Baltimore, MD Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Baltimore is $184,876.
The Median Rent in Baltimore is $1,290.
The Median Income in Baltimore is $59,623.
The Home Value To Income in Baltimore is 3.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Baltimore is 0.26x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Baltimore, MD Costs By Category
Detailed Baltimore Services Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Baltimore Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Baltimore Health Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Baltimore Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Baltimore Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland
Baltimore SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Baltimore
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Baltimore. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Columbia, MD has a cost of living index of 131, 1.3x Baltimore.
Dundalk, MD has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Baltimore.
Towson, MD has a cost of living index of 127, 1.2x Baltimore.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MD | 105,871 | 131 | 1.3x |
| Dundalk, MD | 65,441 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Towson, MD | 57,683 | 127 | 1.2x |
| Severna Park, MD | 39,499 | 152 | 1.5x |
| Parkville, MD | 30,423 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Ilchester, MD | 27,552 | 136 | 1.3x |
| Elkridge, MD | 26,183 | 131 | 1.3x |
| North Laurel, MD | 25,201 | 132 | 1.3x |
| Arnold, MD | 23,866 | 142 | 1.4x |
| Arbutus, MD | 20,869 | 111 | 1.1x |
