Gaithersburg, MD Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Gaithersburg, MD Summary

Cost of living in Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg is 136, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Gaithersburg is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Gaithersburg ranks as the #141 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.

  • Gaithersburg ranks as the #5,256 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Gaithersburg is $524,992.

  • The median income in Gaithersburg is $107,496.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
136
Gaithersburg's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Gaithersburg, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Gaithersburg has an overall cost of living index of 136, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, Gaithersburg has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Maryland's index of 121.

The standard of living in Gaithersburg ranks as #141 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Gaithersburg ranks as the #53 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in Gaithersburg, check out:

141 out of 194
In Maryland
5,256 out of 6,489
In America

Gaithersburg Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Gaithersburg. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Gaithersburg is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Gaithersburg is 106.

  • The Health index in Gaithersburg is 99.

  • The Housing index in Gaithersburg is 214.

  • The Transportation index in Gaithersburg is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Gaithersburg is 111.

Living Expense Gaithersburg Maryland National Average
Overall 136 121 100
Services 110 105 100
Groceries 106 107 100
Health 99 96 100
Housing 214 150 100
Transportation 97 99 100
Utilities 111 113 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:
Gaithersburg Cost of Living Vs. MD

Gaithersburg, 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 Gaithersburg is $524,992.

  • The Median Rent in Gaithersburg is $2,008.

  • The Median Income in Gaithersburg is $107,496.

  • The Home Value To Income in Gaithersburg is 4.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Gaithersburg is 0.22x.

Statistic Gaithersburg Maryland United States
Median Home Value $524,992 $427,628 $303,400
Median Rent $2,008 $1,662 $1,348
Median Income $107,496 $101,652 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 4.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$524,992
Median Home Value
$2,008
Median Rent
$107,496
Median Income

Gaithersburg, MD Costs By Category

Detailed Gaithersburg Services Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Gaithersburg Maryland
Shampoo $1.51 $1.28
Movie $15.69 $12.13
Bowling $24.83 $18
Haircut $26.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $70.08 $45.56

Detailed Gaithersburg Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Gaithersburg Maryland
Ground Beef $6.24 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $5.49 $4.93
Pizza $12.56 $12.09
Beer $11.1 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed Gaithersburg Health Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Gaithersburg Maryland
Optometrist $92.0 $125.68
Doctor $135.03 $135.78
Dentist $117.67 $113.29

Detailed Gaithersburg Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Gaithersburg Maryland
Gasoline $3.25 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.0 $59.92

Detailed Gaithersburg Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Gaithersburg Maryland
All Electricity $222.47 $193.99
Phone $197.37 $192.25

Gaithersburg SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Gaithersburg

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Gaithersburg. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Germantown, MD has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Gaithersburg.

  • Rockville, MD has a cost of living index of 155, 1.1x Gaithersburg.

  • Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 199, 1.5x Gaithersburg.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Gaithersburg
Germantown, MD 90,521 132 1.0x
Rockville, MD 67,218 155 1.1x
Potomac, MD 46,230 199 1.5x
Olney, MD 36,000 153 1.1x
Clarksburg, MD 29,246 152 1.1x
North Potomac, MD 23,994 172 1.3x
Redland, MD 18,976 139 1.0x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 1.1x
Colesville, MD 14,075 140 1.0x
Travilah, MD 11,128 224 1.6x

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