Cost of Living: Baltimore, MD vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,239/mo in Baltimore, MD versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 18.81% of gross in Baltimore, MD versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Baltimore, MD tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Baltimore, MD and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Baltimore, MD
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Baltimore, MD
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Baltimore, MD
Cost of Living Index
Baltimore, MD: 92.4 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Baltimore, MD has a lower cost-of-living index than Chicago, IL, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Baltimore, MD: $1,226/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $97/mo higher than in Baltimore, MD.
Median Home Price
Baltimore, MD: $219,300 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Baltimore, MD is $71,500 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Baltimore, MD: $59,623 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Baltimore, MD has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $2,808.
Baltimore, MD overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons