Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Baltimore, MD: $2,603 a month against $3,673 in Burbank, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Baltimore, MD, United States
Burbank, CA, United States
Baltimore, MD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,603
/mo nomad
Burbank, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,673
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baltimore, MD and in Burbank, 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 Burbank, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,603 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,673 in Burbank, CA.

  • Baltimore, MD $2,603
  • Burbank, CA $3,673

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,940 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,555 in Burbank, CA.

  • Baltimore, MD $3,940
  • Burbank, CA $3,555

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,438 in Burbank, CA.

  • Baltimore, MD $5,277
  • Burbank, CA $3,438

Living in Baltimore, MD costs roughly 29% less than in Burbank, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 91% above, Burbank, CA 170% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 $17.89
$25.03 $25.03
-28.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.6 $94.6
$77.6 $77.6
21.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 $10.58
$14.82 $14.82
-28.61%
Cappuccino
$5.20 $5.20
$5.60 $5.60
-7.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 $3.45
$3.70 $3.70
-6.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$2.79 $2.79
-6.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.92 $6.92
$7.91 $7.91
-12.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.08 $8.08
$9.96 $9.96
-18.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.34 $1.34
-14.18%
White Bread (500g)
$4.13 $4.13
$5.10 $5.10
-19.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.25 $4.25
$4.48 $4.48
-5.13%
Eggs
$5.04 $5.04
$5.51 $5.51
-8.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.57 $12.57
$15.73 $15.73
-20.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.88 $12.88
$15.76 $15.76
-18.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.12 $18.12
$19.92 $19.92
-9.04%
Apples (1kg)
$5.90 $5.90
$5.19 $5.19
13.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 $1.54
$2.33 $2.33
-33.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.66 $5.66
$3.94 $3.94
43.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.80 $4.80
$5.52 $5.52
-13.04%
Potato (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$3.27 $3.27
-17.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.83 $2.83
1.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.15 $2.15
9.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$2.74 $2.74
-17.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.27 $13.27
$11.81 $11.81
12.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.80 $15.80
$15.25 $15.25
3.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.54 $2.54
5.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.82 $2.82
35.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.71 $1.71
20.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.6 $77.6
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 $1.76
$3.03 $3.03
-41.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.88 $1.88
-26.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.89 $23.89
$31.97 $31.97
-25.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.45 $1.45
-26.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$29.2K $29.2K
18.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$26.9K $26.9K
-1.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 $217
$214 $214
1.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.1 $68.1
$78.1 $78.1
-12.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.8 $88.8
$72.9 $72.9
21.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.25 $47.25
$132 $132
-64.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.67 $47.67
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.95 $14.95
$19.71 $19.71
-24.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,934 $1,934
$1,713 $1,713
12.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.0K $35.0K
$32.8K $32.8K
6.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 $53.3
$61.8 $61.8
-13.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.1 $62.1
$47.26 $47.26
31.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 $94.0
$107 $107
-11.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 $111
$103 $103
7.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,735 $1,735
$3,197 $3,197
-45.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,165 $1,165
$2,098 $2,098
-44.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,179 $2,179
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,026 $2,026
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,404 $2,404
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,214 $2,214
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baltimore, MD
Burbank, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,375 $4,375
$5,368 $5,368
-18.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.72
6.31
6.50%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 26, 2026

Last update for Burbank, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Baltimore, MD
$1.2K
Burbank, CA
$2.1K 80% $932
Groceries & Markets
Baltimore, MD
$435
Burbank, CA
$479 10.2% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baltimore, MD
$374
Burbank, CA
$365 2.6% $9.7
Eating Out
Baltimore, MD
$312
Burbank, CA
$397 27.3% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Baltimore, MD
$144
Burbank, CA
$144 0.6% $0.8
Getting Around
Baltimore, MD
$94
Burbank, CA
$19 * 79.6% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Baltimore, MD
$77
Burbank, CA
$171 122% $94

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,735 in Baltimore, MD and $3,197 in Burbank, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burbank, CA pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95 in Baltimore, MD vs $78 in Burbank, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $435 vs $479, with Baltimore, MD cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD
🇺🇸 Burbank, CA
🕒 Local time
21:25 9:25 PM
18:25 6:25 PM
3 h behind Baltimore, MD
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
585,708
103,340
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Baltimore, MD Burbank, CA 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Burbank, 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 Burbank, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Baltimore, MD or Burbank, CA?
Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Burbank, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Baltimore, MD or in Burbank, CA?
On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Baltimore, MD. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Baltimore, MD compared to Burbank, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,735 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,197 in Burbank, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Baltimore, MD or in Burbank, CA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Burbank, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Baltimore, MD compared to Burbank, CA?
All in, you’ll spend $2,603 per month in Baltimore, MD versus $3,673 in Burbank, CA – Baltimore, MD is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Baltimore, MD or in Burbank, CA?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baltimore, MD is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Should I move to Baltimore, MD or to Burbank, CA?
It comes down to priorities – Baltimore, MD wins on affordability, Burbank, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Baltimore, MD vs other spots: cost of living compared

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