Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Norfolk, VA

For one person, living costs are similar in Baltimore, MD and in Norfolk, VA: $2,499 and $2,428 a month, rent and utilities included.

122

Cost of Living Index in Baltimore, MD
Learn more

Baltimore, MD Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
Learn more

Norfolk, VA Living Index

Jump to prices

Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baltimore, MD and in Norfolk, VA

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 Norfolk, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,499 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,428 in Norfolk, VA.

Baltimore, MD $2,499
Norfolk, VA $2,428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,913 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,629 in Norfolk, VA.

Baltimore, MD $3,913
Norfolk, VA $3,629

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,829 in Norfolk, VA.

Baltimore, MD $5,327
Norfolk, VA $4,829

Living in Baltimore, MD is roughly 3% more expensive than in Norfolk, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 85% above, Norfolk, VA 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 $17.77

$18.58 $18.58

-4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$91.0 $91.0

5.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$11.54 $11.54

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$5.90 $5.90

-11.19%

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

$3.43 $3.43

$2.80 $2.80

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.08 $2.08

25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$6.16 $6.16

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.09 $7.09

11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.99 $0.99

16.16%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.95 $3.95

5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$5.50 $5.50

-25.64%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.76 $4.76

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$15.65 $15.65

-18.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$9.74 $9.74

30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$17.97 $17.97

2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.84 $4.84

21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.25 $1.25

21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.96 $4.96

15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.70 $5.70

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.24 $2.24

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.61 $3.61

-19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.87 $1.87

28.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.13 $2.13

7.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 $14.13

$9.25 $9.25

52.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$15.29 $15.29

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.79 $1.79

44.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.74 $2.74

42.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.97 $1.97

4.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 $78.0

$104 $104

-24.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.66 $4.66

-62.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.34 $1.34

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$18.09 $18.09

34.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.99 $0.99

4.04%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.1K $35.1K

3.63%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

0.04%

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

$216 $216

$213 $213

1.43%

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

$65.8 $65.8

$56.2 $56.2

17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 $89.3

$67.0 $67.0

33.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$40.15 $40.15

25.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.01 $48.01

$17.76 $17.76

170.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$11.77 $11.77

29.40%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$1,480 $1,480

33.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$15.9K $15.9K

123.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$54.1 $54.1

-1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$48.10 $48.10

31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$92.3 $92.3

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$121 $121

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 $1,751

$1,233 $1,233

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$1,032 $1,032

2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 $2,362

$2,158 $2,158

9.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$1,684 $1,684

22.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$2,458 $2,458

2.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,304 $2,304

2.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$3,423 $3,423

30.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.57

2.28%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.4%

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5% 2.6% $28

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Norfolk, VA

$412 17% 5.2% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$371 14.9%

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9% 9.4% $35

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$313 12.5%

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1% 1.9% $5.8

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8% 1.7% $2.4

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$95 3.8%

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1% 29.6% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2%

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6% 21% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,751 in Baltimore, MD and $1,233 in Norfolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 30% 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 $91.0 in Norfolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $412 per month, with Norfolk, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

Same time as Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

242,803

💱 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 Norfolk, VA 270 km

From you

Baltimore, MD
Norfolk, VA

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 Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Norfolk, VA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Baltimore, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Norfolk, VA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Baltimore, MD, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,751 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,233 in Norfolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Baltimore, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Norfolk, VA – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $96.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,428 in Norfolk, VA versus $2,499 in Baltimore, MD, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Norfolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Baltimore, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Norfolk, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Norfolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.