Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, CA and Baltimore, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Baltimore, MD: $2,499 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Auburn, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,212
/mo nomad
Baltimore, MD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,499
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, CA and in Baltimore, MD

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, CA and in Baltimore, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Auburn, CA vs $2,499 in Baltimore, MD, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $3,212
  • Baltimore, MD $2,499

A couple spends around $4,620 per month in Auburn, CA vs $3,913 in Baltimore, MD, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $4,620
  • Baltimore, MD $3,913

A family of three spends $6,027 per month in Auburn, CA vs $5,327 in Baltimore, MD, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $6,027
  • Baltimore, MD $5,327

Auburn, CA costs about 29% more than Baltimore, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Auburn, CA and Baltimore, MD sit above the global median – Auburn, CA by 138%, Baltimore, MD by 85%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.25 $25.25
$17.77 $17.77
42.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.7 $90.7
$96.2 $96.2
-5.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 $11.92
$10.82 $10.82
10.17%
Cappuccino
$4.91 $4.91
$5.24 $5.24
-6.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$3.43 $3.43
-25.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$2.62 $2.62
-9.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 $4.86
$7.03 $7.03
-30.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11 $7.11
$7.92 $7.92
-10.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.15 $1.15
6.96%
White Bread (500g)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.16 $4.16
8.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$8.21 $8.21
$4.09 $4.09
100.73%
Eggs
$3.17 $3.17
$4.80 $4.80
-33.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.79 $25.79
$12.75 $12.75
102.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.58 $18.58
$12.73 $12.73
45.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.00 $23.00
$18.47 $18.47
24.53%
Apples (1kg)
$7.72 $7.72
$5.90 $5.90
30.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.52 $1.52
11.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.51 $8.51
$5.75 $5.75
48.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.78 $6.78
$4.84 $4.84
40.08%
Potato (1kg)
$5.10 $5.10
$2.81 $2.81
81.49%
Onion (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.90 $2.90
5.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.40 $2.40
-15.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.29 $2.29
-0.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.66 $11.66
$14.13 $14.13
-17.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$15.40 $15.40
-1.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.59 $2.59
-43.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$3.91 $3.91
-48.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.40 $3.40
$2.06 $2.06
65.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.2 $88.2
$78.0 $78.0
13.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.75 $1.75
86.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.38 $1.38
76.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.49 $40.49
$24.39 $24.39
66.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.03 $1.03
18.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K $32.8K
$36.4K $36.4K
-9.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$25.5K $25.5K
-4.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$216 $216
-12.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.79 $49.79
$65.8 $65.8
-24.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.7 $66.7
$89.3 $89.3
-25.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.4 $64.4
$50.2 $50.2
28.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$48.01 $48.01
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.10 $15.10
$15.23 $15.23
-0.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,686 $2,686
$1,980 $1,980
35.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,939 $5,939
$35.6K $35.6K
-83.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7 $68.7
$53.1 $53.1
29.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.74 $46.74
$63.4 $63.4
-26.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$91.9 $91.9
20.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$199 $199
$112 $112
77.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,823 $1,823
$1,751 $1,751
4.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 $1,591
$1,060 $1,060
50.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,784 $2,784
$2,362 $2,362
17.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,344 $2,344
$2,064 $2,064
13.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,277 $3,277
$2,512 $2,512
30.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,675 $2,675
$2,353 $2,353
13.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Auburn, CA
Baltimore, MD
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,926 $3,926
$4,460 $4,460
-11.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.77
6.72
0.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Auburn, CA
$1.6K
Baltimore, MD
$1.1K 33.4% $531
Groceries & Markets
Auburn, CA
$558
Baltimore, MD
$435 22.1% $123
Eating Out
Auburn, CA
$355
Baltimore, MD
$313 11.9% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, CA
$305
Baltimore, MD
$371 21.6% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, CA
$191
Baltimore, MD
$144 24.5% $47
Getting Around
Auburn, CA
$117
Baltimore, MD
$95 19.1% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, CA
$95
Baltimore, MD
$81 14.8% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,823 in Auburn, CA versus $1,751 in Baltimore, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Baltimore, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Auburn, CA versus $96.0 in Baltimore, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $558 in Auburn, CA vs $435 in Baltimore, MD – so Baltimore, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Auburn, CA
🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD
🕒 Local time
14:26 2:26 PM
17:26 5:26 PM
3 h ahead of Auburn, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,143
585,708
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Auburn, CA Baltimore, MD 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Auburn, CA
  • Baltimore, MD

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Auburn, CA vs Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Auburn, CA and in Baltimore, MD compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Auburn, CA, $2,499 in Baltimore, MD – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Auburn, CA compared to Baltimore, MD?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Auburn, CA and $3,748 in Baltimore, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Auburn, CA and Baltimore, MD?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Baltimore, MD, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Auburn, CA and Baltimore, MD?
Kindergarten costs $2,686 per month in Auburn, CA and $1,980 in Baltimore, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,212 in Auburn, CA and $2,499 in Baltimore, MD. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Auburn, CA or Baltimore, MD?
Families tend to lean toward Baltimore, MD – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Auburn, CA and Baltimore, MD?
If budget matters most, go with Baltimore, MD. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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