Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in San Mateo County, CA would need to be about $35,175 in Prince George's County, MD, or $14,825 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
San Mateo County, CA vs Prince George's County, MD: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Prince George's County, MD is cheaper than San Mateo County, CA.
Moving to Prince George's County, MD is estimated to save $27,785 per year.
Cheaper County
Prince George's County, MDSave about $27,785 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in San Mateo County, CA is about $35,175 in Prince George's County, MD.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Prince George's County, MD. Taxes saves $10,148 per year.
Housing: $9,068 lower in Prince George's County, MD
Taxes: $10,148 lower in Prince George's County, MD
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $3,245 lower in Prince George's County, MD
Food: $796 lower in Prince George's County, MD
Transport: $1,466 lower in Prince George's County, MD
San Mateo County, CA→Prince George's County, MD
Equivalent salary in Prince George's County, MD
$35,175
-29.65% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in San Mateo County, CA: $184,583
Median Income in Prince George's County, MD: $118,434
Living Index in San Mateo County, CA 50.77%
Living Index in Prince George's County, MD 55.67%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from San Mateo County, CA to Prince George's County, 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 San Mateo County, CA to Prince George's County, MD is estimated to save $27,785 per year. A $50,000 salary in San Mateo County, CA would have similar purchasing power to about $35,175 in Prince George's County, MD. The largest savings come from taxes and housing.
This is a -29.65% decrease in modeled annual costs. Taxes is $10,148 per year lower (-40.51%); Housing is $9,068 per year lower (-29.85%).
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 San Mateo County, CA and Prince George's County, MD, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 50.8% of median family income in San Mateo County, CA and 55.7% in Prince George's County, MD. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,068 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Prince George's County, MD changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $796 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Prince George's County, MD can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,466 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Prince George's County, MD.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $3,245 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Prince George's County, MD changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,063 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Prince George's County, MD help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in San Mateo County, CA and Prince George's County, MD, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Prince George's County, MD, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $10,148 per year lower in Prince George's County, MD than in San Mateo County, CA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Prince George's County, 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 Prince George's County, MD.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Prince George's County, MD
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Prince George's County, MD.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Prince George's County, MD
Annual Savings:
$10,148 per year
TAXES has the largest annual savings when moving to Prince George's County, MD.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -30% lower | |
| Food | -15% lower | |
| Transport | -10% lower | |
| Healthcare | -43% lower | |
| Other Costs | -28% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -41% lower |
In Prince George's County, MD, modeled annual costs are $65,933 compared with $93,718 in San Mateo County, CA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Prince George's County, MD. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Prince George's County, MD and San Mateo County, CA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
