Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Nashville, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Baltimore, MD: $2,499 a month against $2,847 in Nashville, TN, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Nashville, TN
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Nashville, TN Living Index

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Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Nashville, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,847

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baltimore, MD and in Nashville, TN

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 Nashville, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,499 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,847 in Nashville, TN.

Baltimore, MD $2,499
Nashville, TN $2,847

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,913 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,247 in Nashville, TN.

Baltimore, MD $3,913
Nashville, TN $4,247

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Baltimore, MD versus $5,647 in Nashville, TN.

Baltimore, MD $5,327
Nashville, TN $5,647

Living in Baltimore, MD costs roughly 12% less than in Nashville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 85% above, Nashville, TN 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 $17.77

$18.45 $18.45

-3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$84.1 $84.1

14.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$12.21 $12.21

-11.38%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$6.61 $6.61

-20.73%

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

$3.43 $3.43

$2.88 $2.88

19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.43 $2.43

7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$6.91 $6.91

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.98 $7.98

-0.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.14 $1.14

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.93 $3.93

5.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.96 $3.96

3.28%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.31 $4.31

11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$12.91 $12.91

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$14.24 $14.24

-10.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$18.32 $18.32

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.69 $5.69

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.23 $4.23

35.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.08 $5.08

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.59 $2.59

8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.02 $3.02

-3.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.26 $2.26

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.33 $2.33

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 $14.13

$10.39 $10.39

36.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$15.51 $15.51

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.37 $2.37

9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.66 $4.66

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.03 $2.03

1.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 $78.0

$64.7 $64.7

20.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 $1.75

$5.09 $5.09

-65.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.59 $1.59

-13.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$20.80 $20.80

17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.00 $1.00

3.00%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.7K $36.7K

-0.91%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.66%

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

$216 $216

$232 $232

-6.62%

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

$65.8 $65.8

$74.0 $74.0

-11.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 $89.3

$74.8 $74.8

19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$55.2 $55.2

-9.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.01 $48.01

$14.44 $14.44

232.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$14.87 $14.87

2.42%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$1,475 $1,475

34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$30.9K $30.9K

14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$55.5 $55.5

-4.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$43.06 $43.06

47.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$91.7 $91.7

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$139 $139

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 $1,751

$1,999 $1,999

-12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$1,380 $1,380

-23.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 $2,362

$4,438 $4,438

-46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$2,422 $2,422

-14.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$8,035 $8,035

-68.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,673 $2,673

-12.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$4,645 $4,645

-3.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.55

2.60%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nashville, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.4%

Nashville, TN

$1.4K 48.5% 30.2% $320

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Nashville, TN

$432 15.2% 0.7% $2.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$371 14.9%

Nashville, TN

$381 13.4% 2.5% $9.1

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$313 12.5%

Nashville, TN

$335 11.8% 7.3% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Nashville, TN

$148 5.2% 2.6% $3.8

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$95 3.8%

Nashville, TN

$86 3% 9.5% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2%

Nashville, TN

$85 3% 5.3% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,751 in Baltimore, MD and $1,999 in Nashville, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nashville, TN pays 4% 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 $84.0 in Nashville, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $432 per month, with Nashville, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Nashville, TN

🕒 Local time

09:33 9:33 AM

08:33 8:33 AM

1 h behind Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

689,447

💱 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 Nashville, TN 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Baltimore, MD
Nashville, TN

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 Nashville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Nashville, TN. 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 4% lower in Nashville, TN. 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: $1,751 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,999 in Nashville, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Nashville, TN pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Baltimore, MD – a meal for two runs $96.0 versus $84.0 in Nashville, TN. 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 $2,499 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Nashville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.