City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Baltimore | Columbia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,235/mo | $1,895/mo | 34.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $202,900 | $458,700 | 55.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,349 | $124,537 | 53.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 106.3 | 108.2 | 1.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.5 | 107.9 | 14.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.3 | 98.6 | 4.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 114.7 | 121.3 | 5.5% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Baltimore, you'd need $125,455 in Columbia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Baltimore, MD is about 20.3% cheaper overall than Columbia, MD, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% lower in Baltimore than in Columbia. If you earn $80,000 in Baltimore, you'd need about $100,364 in Columbia to keep the same standard of living.