Cost of Living: Baltimore, MD vs Phoenix, AZ

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 $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 18.81% of gross in Baltimore, MD versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Baltimore, MD tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Baltimore, MD
$4,239/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Baltimore, MD
18.81%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Baltimore, MD and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Baltimore, MD
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Baltimore, MD
  • Lower home prices: Baltimore, MD
  • Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Baltimore, MD: 92.4 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Baltimore, MD has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Baltimore, MD: $1,226/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $159/mo higher than in Baltimore, MD.

Median Home Price

Baltimore, MD: $219,300 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $162,600 higher than in Baltimore, MD.

Median Household Income

Baltimore, MD: $59,623 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Baltimore, MD by $17,418.

Baltimore, MD overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons