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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Look, Maryland is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Baltimore leads at an index of 96 — not a number you see very often, by the way — with rent at just $1,708/month — 10% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers…
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Look, Maryland is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Baltimore leads at an index of 96 — not a number you see very often, by the way — with rent at just $1,708/month — 10% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Dive into Baltimore's numbers: cost index 96 (16 points below national average), rent $1,708/month, income $59,623, and a home price of $187,545. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 88, while Healthcare runs 99. As a major city with 565,239 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
For all that, there's a counter-signal worth noting: Maryland — DC-adjacent salaries with suburban costs. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 96 and median income of $59,623. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,708/month, which is $187 less than the national median.
Bottom line: Baltimore leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
565,239 residents · Maryland
Here's Baltimore by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 96. Rent: $1,708/month. Income: $59,623/year. Home price: $187,545. Population: 565,239. The strongest category is Utilities at 88; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,244 per year vs. the national median. That gap is hard to ignore (that's pre-tax, of course).
Cities are ranked by their transportation cost sub-index within Maryland. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Baltimore ranks #1 in Maryland for this analysis with a cost index of 96 and median income of $59,623.
Baltimore, MD has the lowest transportation index at 91, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Baltimore is $1,708/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $187 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Baltimore is $187,545, which is 3.1× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Maryland has a 5.75% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.87%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.