Cost of Living in Baltimore, MD (2026)

Baltimore's cost of living is 4% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $95,706 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Baltimore has a cost-of-living index of 104 against a US average of 100 — about 4% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $95,706 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Baltimore

MeasureBaltimoreUS average
Cost-of-living index104100
Median rent$1,290/mo-
Median home value$219,300-
Median household income$59,623-
Population577,193-

Monthly cost breakdown in Baltimore

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,290$1,274
Transport$851$851
Food$670$670
Healthcare$421$421
Other$1,495$1,495
Total$4,727$4,710

Affordability in Baltimore

Median rent takes about 26.0% of the median household income in Baltimore — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.7x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Baltimore

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Software Developer$138,370$132,428
Marketing Manager$136,230$130,380
Data Scientist$126,430$121,001
Mechanical Engineer$101,710$97,342
Physical Therapist$100,200$95,897
Financial Analyst$95,010$90,930
Registered Nurse$89,310$85,475
Dental Hygienist$84,744$81,105

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Baltimore’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

Compare Baltimore with another city

What would your salary be worth in Baltimore?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Frequently asked questions

Baltimore has a cost-of-living index of 104 against a US average of 100, so it is about 4% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Baltimore has roughly the purchasing power of $95,706 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Baltimore's median rent of $1,290/month that implies about $51,600 a year before tax. The median household in Baltimore earns $59,623.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $4,727 a month in Baltimore across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $4,710 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Baltimore costs $219,300, which is 3.7x the median household income of $59,623. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Baltimore is manageable but tight.