Chelsea, MA vs Laurel, MD: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Laurel, MD has a modeled overall cost index 1.4% higher than Chelsea, MA.

Chelsea, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,630 / month
Laurel, MD · modeled 2BR rent: $2,320 / 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 Chelsea, MA and Laurel, MD 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 Chelsea, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $341/month in Laurel, MD

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $154,092 in Laurel, MD

Regional cost estimates: Chelsea, MA uses Boston, MA. Laurel, MD uses Washington, DC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 1.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$341

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$4.1K

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.

Chelsea, MA

Population:38K

Cost Index:

139.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$516K

Laurel, MD

Population:29K

Cost Index:

141.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$461K

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Chelsea, MA

The Bay State

38K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 38K residents.

Laurel, MD

The Old Line State

29K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Maryland, this city has a population of 29K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chelsea, MA vs Laurel, MD

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	Chelsea, MA	Laurel, MD	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,230/mo	$3,779/mo	↑ $549more	17.0%
All Utilities	$503/mo	$356/mo	↓ $147less	29.2%
Healthcare	$522/mo	$443/mo	↓ $79.76less	15.3%
Transportation	$1,245/mo	$1,274/mo	↑ $29.11more	2.3%
Other	$1,241/mo	$1,233/mo	↓ $7.80less	0.6%
Groceries	$758/mo	$756/mo	↓ $2.39less	0.3%

Housing

↑ 17.0%

Chelsea, MA

$3,230

Laurel, MD

$3,779

Difference

$549

All Utilities

↓ 29.2%

Chelsea, MA

$503

Laurel, MD

$356

Difference

$147

less

Healthcare

↓ 15.3%

Chelsea, MA

$522

Laurel, MD

$443

Difference

$79.76

less

Transportation

↑ 2.3%

Chelsea, MA

$1,245

Laurel, MD

$1,274

Difference

$29.11

Other

↓ 0.6%

Chelsea, MA

$1,241

Laurel, MD

$1,233

Difference

$7.80

less

Groceries

↓ 0.3%

Chelsea, MA

$758

Laurel, MD

$756

Difference

$2.39

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,110

To$1,910

↓ $200

1 Bed

From$2,210

To$2,030

↓ $180

2 Bed

From$2,630

To$2,320

↓ $310

3 Bed

From$3,150

To$2,950

↓ $200

Chelsea, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,210–$2,210/mo

Laurel, MDZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,890–$2,120/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 Chelsea, MA

$7,841

Monthly in Laurel, MD

$341

Difference

Home Values

Chelsea

Laurel

$516K

Median Value

$461K

↓ -0.3%

YoY Change

↓ -0.1%

↑ +18%

5-Year Change

↑ +24.2%

$516K

Price Range

$409K - $574K

Homes in Laurel are 11% less expensive than Chelsea

Calculate payment - Chelsea Calculate payment - Laurel

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $240

Per year

Monthly Difference

$20.00

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

Chelsea, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Laurel, 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

Additional Tax Information

Chelsea, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Laurel, MD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

💡 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.

Environment

Chelsea

Laurel

36 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

63.7%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

Before moving from Chelsea, MA to Laurel, MD

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Laurel, MD for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Chelsea, MA. 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 Chelsea to Laurel moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chelsea, MA vs Laurel, MD

How do the cost estimates for Chelsea, MA and Laurel, MD compare?

Laurel, MD has a modeled overall cost index 1.4% higher than Chelsea, MA. 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 Chelsea, MA, the model estimates $154,092 in Laurel, MD. 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 Chelsea, MA and Laurel, MD?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,630/month in Chelsea, MA and $2,320/month in Laurel, MD. 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 Massachusetts and Maryland on TaxTakeHome.com