Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Pittsburgh, PA

For one person, living costs are similar in Baltimore, MD and in Pittsburgh, PA: $2,499 and $2,525 a month, rent and utilities included.

122

Cost of Living Index in Baltimore, MD
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Baltimore, MD Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Pittsburgh, PA
Learn more

Pittsburgh, PA Living Index

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Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Pittsburgh, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baltimore, MD and in Pittsburgh, PA

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 Pittsburgh, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,499 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,525 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Baltimore, MD $2,499
Pittsburgh, PA $2,525

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,913 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,630 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Baltimore, MD $3,913
Pittsburgh, PA $3,630

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,736 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Baltimore, MD $5,327
Pittsburgh, PA $4,736

Living in Baltimore, MD costs roughly 1% less than in Pittsburgh, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 85% above, Pittsburgh, PA 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 $17.77

$19.71 $19.71

-9.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$60.1 $60.1

60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$9.81 $9.81

10.30%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$4.84 $4.84

8.26%

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

$3.43 $3.43

$2.64 $2.64

29.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.15 $2.15

21.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$6.59 $6.59

6.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$8.18 $8.18

-3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.21 $1.21

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.74 $3.74

11.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.84 $4.84

-15.50%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.84 $4.84

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$14.71 $14.71

-13.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$12.62 $12.62

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$17.43 $17.43

5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.15 $5.15

14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.50 $1.50

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.04 $4.04

42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.52 $5.52

-12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.38 $2.38

18.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.52 $2.52

15.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.39 $2.39

0.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.99 $1.99

15.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 $14.13

$10.98 $10.98

28.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$12.76 $12.76

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.07 $2.07

25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.97 $3.97

-1.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.81 $2.81

-26.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 $78.0

$98.3 $98.3

-20.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.97 $3.97

-55.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.53 $1.53

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$20.78 $20.78

17.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.07 $1.07

-3.74%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.1K $37.1K

-1.86%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.56%

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

$216 $216

$252 $252

-14.02%

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

$65.8 $65.8

$53.5 $53.5

22.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 $89.3

$68.7 $68.7

29.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$44.26 $44.26

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.01 $48.01

$28.52 $28.52

68.34%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$11.83 $11.83

28.74%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$1,752 $1,752

12.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$34.6K $34.6K

2.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$46.08 $46.08

15.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$47.74 $47.74

32.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$72.9 $72.9

26.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$102 $102

10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 $1,751

$1,587 $1,587

10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$1,112 $1,112

-4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 $2,362

$2,442 $2,442

-3.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$1,736 $1,736

18.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$3,169 $3,169

-20.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,023 $2,023

16.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$4,361 $4,361

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.52

3.07%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Last update for Pittsburgh, PA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.4%

Pittsburgh, PA

$1.1K 44.1% 4.9% $52

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Pittsburgh, PA

$416 16.5% 4.4% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$371 14.9%

Pittsburgh, PA

$374 14.8% 0.7% $2.4

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$313 12.5%

Pittsburgh, PA

$314 12.4% 0.3% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Pittsburgh, PA

$121 4.8% 16.3% $23

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$95 3.8%

Pittsburgh, PA

$121 4.8% 27.7% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2%

Pittsburgh, PA

$68 2.7% 15.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,751 in Baltimore, MD and $1,587 in Pittsburgh, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $96.0 in Baltimore, MD vs $60.0 in Pittsburgh, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $416 per month, with Pittsburgh, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, PA

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

Same time as Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

311,647

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Baltimore, MD Pittsburgh, PA 320 km

From you

Baltimore, MD
Pittsburgh, PA

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 Pittsburgh, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Pittsburgh, PA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% 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 $1,587 in Pittsburgh, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pittsburgh, PA pay roughly 5% 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 $60.0 in Pittsburgh, PA. 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 1% less than in Pittsburgh, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.