Cost of Living in Baltimore, Maryland
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Baltimore, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 569,997
- Median household income
- $64,778
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 104.5
- Unemployment rate
- 6.8%
Is Baltimore a good place to live?
Baltimore is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 120 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Baltimore keeps $8,848 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living4% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,507 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,442 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $1,681 of local income tax
Cost of living in Baltimore
Prices in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area run 4% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 18% above the US average.
- Housing18% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)2% above the US average
- Utilities10% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% above the US average
- All items4% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,507 | $18,084 |
| Food | $505 | $6,060 |
| Transportation | $400 | $4,800 |
| Healthcare | $357 | $4,284 |
| Utilities | $287 | $3,444 |
| Total before taxes | $3,056 | $36,672 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Baltimore | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,396 | $1,523 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,507 | $1,625 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,862 | $2,006 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,346 | $2,509 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,598 | $2,789 |
Living in Baltimore
How Baltimore compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Baltimore | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,778 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $247,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,345 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 51.6% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 17.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 36.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 30.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 14% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 9.7% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Baltimore, led by Xfinity, Believe Broadband, T-Mobile, Verizon. Fiber reaches 13.4% of homes and 96.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Baltimore
Pros and cons of living in Baltimore
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $8,848 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 120 of 178 large cities.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $247,400, against $360,600 nationally.
- Usable public transit. 9.7% of commuters take public transit, against 3.7% nationally.
- Fast home internet. 96.7% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 6.8%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Local income tax. Residents also pay Baltimore City local income tax income tax: $1,681 on a typical wage.
- Higher poverty rate. 17.7% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Longer commutes. The average one-way commute is 30.2 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
What your job keeps in Baltimore
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $59,070
- Federal income tax
- −$4,908
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,519
- State income tax
- −$2,442
- Local income tax
- −$1,681
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$18,084
- Everyday costs
- −$18,588
a year, or $737 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $138,900 | $58,761 |
| Lawyer | $132,400 | $54,867 |
| Project manager | $103,720 | $37,325 |
| Registered nurse | $99,550 | $34,850 |
| Accountant | $85,160 | $25,871 |
| Teacher | $77,686 | $21,208 |
| Electrician | $65,590 | $13,568 |
| Truck driver | $59,460 | $9,130 |
| Medical assistant | $46,790 | −$43 |
| Nursing assistant | $42,770 | −$2,953 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Baltimore on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $7,804
- Carpenter $11,244
- Civil engineer $35,316
- Data scientist $56,018
- Dental assistant $1,130
- Dental hygienist $45,040
- Dentist $78,540
- Diesel mechanic $19,201
- Financial analyst $34,432
- Firefighter $18,790
- HVAC technician $11,824
- Licensed practical nurse $19,444
- Lineman $39,472
- Mechanical engineer $45,395
- Nurse practitioner $54,621
- Occupational therapist $38,428
- Paralegal $13,605
- Paramedic $14,104
- Pharmacist $58,288
- Pharmacy technician −$1,173
- Physical therapist $38,627
- Physician assistant $58,695
- Plumber $11,838
- Police officer $20,485
- Radiologic technologist $26,326
- Respiratory therapist $27,656
- Social worker $19,249
- Speech-language pathologist $35,728
- Veterinarian $73,063
- Welder $10,911
Local income tax:
Compare Baltimore with other cities
Compare Baltimore with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Baltimore
28 licensed interstate movers are based in Baltimore, and 57 more elsewhere in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to live?
Baltimore is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 120 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $59,070 and keeps $8,848 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Baltimore?
Prices in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area are 4% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,507 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,549 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Baltimore?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $46,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area earns $59,070.
What is the average rent in Baltimore?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,396 for a studio, $1,507 for a 1-bedroom and $1,862 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Baltimore at $1,345 a month (2024).
Does Baltimore have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $59,070, Maryland state income tax comes to about $2,442 a year. Baltimore residents also pay Baltimore City local income tax income tax, about $1,681 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Baltimore?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Baltimore, led by Xfinity, Believe Broadband, T-Mobile, Verizon. 13.4% of homes can get fiber and 96.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate