Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Arlington County, VA would need to be about $30,870 in Baltimore city, MD, or $19,130 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Arlington County, VA vs Baltimore city, MD: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Baltimore city, MD is cheaper than Arlington County, VA.
Moving to Baltimore city, MD is estimated to save $29,655 per year.
Cheaper County
Baltimore city, MDSave about $29,655 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Arlington County, VA is about $30,870 in Baltimore city, MD.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Baltimore city, MD. Housing saves $13,785 per year.
Housing: $13,785 lower in Baltimore city, MD
Taxes: $9,894 lower in Baltimore city, MD
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $186 lower in Baltimore city, MD
Food: $600 lower in Baltimore city, MD
Transport: $724 lower in Baltimore city, MD
Arlington County, VA→Baltimore city, MD
Equivalent salary in Baltimore city, MD
$30,870
-38.26% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Arlington County, VA: $194,878
Median Income in Baltimore city, MD: $73,681
Living Index in Arlington County, VA 39.78%
Living Index in Baltimore city, MD 64.96%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Arlington County, VA to Baltimore city, MD.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Arlington County, VA to Baltimore city, MD is estimated to save $29,655 per year. A $50,000 salary in Arlington County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $30,870 in Baltimore city, MD. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -38.26% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $13,785 per year lower (-50.07%); Taxes is $9,894 per year lower (-51.12%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Arlington County, VA and Baltimore city, MD, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 39.8% of median family income in Arlington County, VA and 65.0% in Baltimore city, MD. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $13,785 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Baltimore city, MD changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $600 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Baltimore city, MD can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $724 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Baltimore city, MD.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $186 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Baltimore city, MD changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $4,466 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Baltimore city, MD help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Arlington County, VA and Baltimore city, MD, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Baltimore city, MD, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $9,894 per year lower in Baltimore city, MD than in Arlington County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Baltimore city, MD matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Baltimore city, MD.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Baltimore city, MD
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Baltimore city, MD.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Baltimore city, MD
Annual Savings:
$13,785 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Baltimore city, MD.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -50% lower | |
| Food | -11% lower | |
| Transport | -7% lower | |
| Healthcare | -4% lower | |
| Other Costs | -43% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -51% lower |
In Baltimore city, MD, modeled annual costs are $47,862 compared with $77,517 in Arlington County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Baltimore city, MD. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Baltimore city, MD and Arlington County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
