Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Foster City, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Baltimore, MD: $2,496 a month against $4,311 in Foster City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 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
208

Cost of Living Index in Foster City, CA
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Foster City, CA Living Index

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Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,496

/mo nomad

Foster City, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,311

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,496 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,311 in Foster City, CA.

Baltimore, MD $2,496
Foster City, CA $4,311

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,936 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,062 in Foster City, CA.

Baltimore, MD $3,936
Foster City, CA $4,062

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,376 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,812 in Foster City, CA.

Baltimore, MD $5,376
Foster City, CA $3,812

Living in Baltimore, MD costs roughly 42% less than in Foster City, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 84% above, Foster City, CA 218% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$24.94 $24.94

-28.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 $96.4

$109 $109

-11.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$12.14 $12.14

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$5.63 $5.63

-9.06%

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

$3.32 $3.32

$2.94 $2.94

12.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.72 $2.72

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$8.09 $8.09

-11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$8.20 $8.20

-5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.38 $1.38

-18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.96 $4.96

-17.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.18 $2.18

86.24%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$6.46 $6.46

-26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$15.14 $15.14

-16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$13.04 $13.04

-1.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 $18.64

$23.19 $23.19

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$7.78 $7.78

-21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.36 $2.36

-34.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$6.50 $6.50

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.30 $3.30

49.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.35 $3.35

-16.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.12 $3.12

-8.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.46 $2.46

-3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.06 $2.06

10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 $13.41

$11.93 $11.93

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 $15.43

$20.18 $20.18

-23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.72 $1.72

48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.70 $3.70

7.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.77 $3.77

-48.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 $77.3

$190 $190

-59.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.22 $3.22

-44.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.36 $2.36

-41.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 $23.70

$39.74 $39.74

-40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.58 $1.58

-31.65%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$27.7K $27.7K

20.84%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.55%

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

$213 $213

$270 $270

-21.10%

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

$66.1 $66.1

$50.2 $50.2

31.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 $90.8

$67.5 $67.5

34.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.88 $49.88

$112 $112

-55.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.45 $48.45

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 $14.99

$15.80 $15.80

-5.13%

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

$1,962 $1,962

$2,697 $2,697

-27.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.5K $35.5K

$37.6K $37.6K

-5.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$47.34 $47.34

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$29.56 $29.56

114.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 $93.3

$67.7 $67.7

37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$49.96 $49.96

120.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$3,003 $3,003

-41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 $1,062

$2,609 $2,609

-59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 $2,366

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 $2,118

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 $2,545

$10.6K $10.6K

-76.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$9,568 $9,568

-75.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,241 $4,241

$6,872 $6,872

-38.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.82

-1.47%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 18, 2026

Last update for Foster City, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.6%

Foster City, CA

$2.6K 60.5% 146% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Foster City, CA

$481 11.2% 10.5% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$370 14.8%

Foster City, CA

$387 9% 4.8% $18

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$312 12.5%

Foster City, CA

$383 8.9% 22.8% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Foster City, CA

$88 2% 39.1% $56

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$94 3.8%

Foster City, CA

$220 5.1% 135% $126

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$80 3.2%

Foster City, CA

$144 3.3% 79.9% $64

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,768 in Baltimore, MD and $3,003 in Foster City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Foster City, CA pays 62% 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: $96.0 in Baltimore, MD vs $109 in Foster City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $481 per month, with Baltimore, MD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Foster City, CA

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

01:47 1:47 AM

3 h behind Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

30,567

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Baltimore, MD Foster City, CA 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Baltimore, MD
Foster City, 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 Foster City, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Foster City, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Foster City, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,768 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,003 in Foster City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Foster City, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Baltimore, MD – a meal for two runs $96.0 versus $109 in Foster City, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baltimore, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,496 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baltimore, MD and Foster City, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Foster City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.