Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

122

Cost of Living Index in Baltimore, MD
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Baltimore, MD Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
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Auburn, CA Living Index

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Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Baltimore, MD is about 22% cheaper than Auburn, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 $17.77

$25.25 $25.25

-29.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$90.7 $90.7

6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$11.92 $11.92

-9.23%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$4.91 $4.91

6.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.54 $2.54

35.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.37 $2.37

10.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$4.86 $4.86

44.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.11 $7.11

11.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.23 $1.23

-6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.52 $4.52

-7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$8.21 $8.21

-50.18%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$3.17 $3.17

51.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$25.79 $25.79

-50.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$18.58 $18.58

-31.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$23.00 $23.00

-19.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$7.72 $7.72

-23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.70 $1.70

-10.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$8.51 $8.51

-32.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.78 $6.78

-28.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.10 $5.10

-44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.06 $3.06

-5.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.02 $2.02

18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.27 $2.27

0.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 $14.13

$11.66 $11.66

21.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$15.24 $15.24

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.46 $1.46

77.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.02 $2.02

93.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.40 $3.40

-39.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 $78.0

$88.2 $88.2

-11.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.26 $3.26

-46.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.43 $2.43

-43.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$40.49 $40.49

-39.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.22 $1.22

-15.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.4K $36.4K

$32.8K $32.8K

10.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K $25.5K

$24.5K $24.5K

4.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$216 $216

$189 $189

14.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$49.79 $49.79

32.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 $89.3

$66.7 $66.7

33.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$64.4 $64.4

-22.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.01 $48.01

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$15.10 $15.10

0.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,980 $1,980

$2,686 $2,686

-26.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$5,939 $5,939

499.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$68.7 $68.7

-22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$46.74 $46.74

35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$110 $110

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$199 $199

-43.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 $1,751

$1,823 $1,823

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$1,591 $1,591

-33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 $2,362

$2,784 $2,784

-15.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$2,344 $2,344

-11.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$3,277 $3,277

-23.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,675 $2,675

-12.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$3,926 $3,926

13.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.77

-0.74%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.4%

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5% 50.1% $531

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4% 28.3% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$371 14.9%

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5% 17.8% $66

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$313 12.5%

Auburn, CA

$355 11% 13.5% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Auburn, CA

$191 6% 32.5% $47

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$95 3.8%

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7% 23.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2%

Auburn, CA

$95 3% 17.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,751 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,823 in Auburn, CA. 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 $96.0 in Baltimore, MD versus $91.0 in Auburn, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $435 in Baltimore, MD vs $558 in Auburn, CA – so Baltimore, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🕒 Local time

17:59 5:59 PM

14:59 2:59 PM

3 h behind Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

76,143

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Baltimore, MD Auburn, CA 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Baltimore, MD
Auburn, CA

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

Baltimore, MD vs Auburn, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,499 in Baltimore, MD, $3,212 in Auburn, CA – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,748 per month in Baltimore, MD and $4,818 in Auburn, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $1,980 per month in Baltimore, MD and $2,686 in Auburn, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,499 in Baltimore, MD and $3,212 in Auburn, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.

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.