Baltimore, MD vs Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Philadelphia, PA has a modeled overall cost index 4.5% lower than Baltimore, MD.

Baltimore, MD · modeled 2BR rent: $1,770 / month
Philadelphia, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,660 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Baltimore, MD

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $587/month in Philadelphia, PA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $142,960 in Philadelphia, PA

Regional cost estimates: Baltimore, MD uses Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Area. Philadelphia, PA uses Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 4.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$587

Savings

Annual Impact

$7.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Baltimore, MD

Population:586K

Cost Index:

106.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$218K

Philadelphia, PA

Population:1584K

Cost Index:

101.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$241K

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Baltimore, MD

The Old Line State

586K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Maryland, this city has a population of 586K residents.

Philadelphia, PA

The Keystone State

1.6M

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Birthplace of America
•Cheesesteak city
•Major East Coast hub

Major Industries

HealthcareEducationFinanceManufacturing

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Baltimore, MD vs Philadelphia, PA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Baltimore, MD	Philadelphia, PA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,755/mo	$2,043/mo	↓ $712less	25.8%
Other	$1,508/mo	$1,568/mo	↑ $59.15more	3.9%
Transportation	$1,219/mo	$1,255/mo	↑ $36.20more	3.0%
Healthcare	$520/mo	$536/mo	↑ $16.42more	3.2%
Groceries	$962/mo	$975/mo	↑ $13.24more	1.4%
All Utilities	$536/mo	$536/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↓ 25.8%

Baltimore, MD

$2,755

Philadelphia, PA

$2,043

Difference

$712

less

Other

↑ 3.9%

Baltimore, MD

$1,508

Philadelphia, PA

$1,568

Difference

$59.15

Transportation

↑ 3.0%

Baltimore, MD

$1,219

Philadelphia, PA

$1,255

Difference

$36.20

Healthcare

↑ 3.2%

Baltimore, MD

$520

Philadelphia, PA

$536

Difference

$16.42

Groceries

↑ 1.4%

Baltimore, MD

$962

Philadelphia, PA

$975

Difference

$13.24

All Utilities

→ 0.0%

Baltimore, MD

$536

Philadelphia, PA

$536

Difference

same

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Baltimore, MD: Baltimore City Income Tax$4,800/yr (3.2%)

Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Wage Tax (resident)$5,625/yr (3.8%)

Net difference+$825/yr

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,270

To$1,280

↑ $10.00

1 Bed

From$1,450

To$1,390

↓ $60.00

2 Bed

From$1,770

To$1,660

↓ $110

3 Bed

From$2,280

To$1,990

↓ $290

Baltimore, MDZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,450–$1,790/mo

Philadelphia, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,080–$2,280/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Baltimore, MD

$6,913

Monthly in Philadelphia, PA

$587

Difference

Home Values

Baltimore

Philadelphia

$218K

Median Value

$241K

↓ -0.6%

YoY Change

↑ +2.8%

↑ +20%

5-Year Change

↑ +9%

$72K - $469K

Price Range

$71K - $855K

Homes in Philadelphia are 11% more expensive than Baltimore

Calculate payment - Baltimore Calculate payment - Philadelphia

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.7K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$221

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.8%

Rate difference

Baltimore, MD

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Maryland State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.5%

$44.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,811/month

$105.7K

Philadelphia, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Additional Tax Information

Baltimore, MD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Philadelphia, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Baltimore, MD

30/100

1.3% sidewalk tags · 3.2% cycling tags

Philadelphia, PA

33/100

3.6% sidewalk tags · 5.9% cycling tags

Environment

Baltimore

Philadelphia

45 Good

Air Quality

52 Moderate

65.6%

Good Air Days

47.3%

95 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Baltimore, MD to Philadelphia, PA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Philadelphia, PA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Baltimore, MD. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Baltimore to Philadelphia moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Philadelphia, PA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Baltimore, MD vs Philadelphia, PA

How do the cost estimates for Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA compare?

Philadelphia, PA has a modeled overall cost index 4.5% lower than Baltimore, MD. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Baltimore, MD, the model estimates $142,960 in Philadelphia, PA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,770/month in Baltimore, MD and $1,660/month in Philadelphia, PA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Maryland and Pennsylvania on TaxTakeHome.com