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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,653 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,513 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,041 in Baltimore, MD versus $3,767 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,429 in Baltimore, MD versus $5,021 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Living in Baltimore, MD is roughly 6% more expensive than Pittsburgh, PA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 98% above, Pittsburgh, PA 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$20.16 $20.16

-2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$58.9 $58.9

36.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.06 $10.06

0.80%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.00 $5.00

-1.20%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.89 $2.89

-19.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.07 $2.07

6.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$4.92 $4.92

20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 $7.63

$7.65 $7.65

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.22 $1.22

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.09 $4.09

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$6.59 $6.59

-30.05%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$4.71 $4.71

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$14.61 $14.61

-9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 $9.77

$14.12 $14.12

-30.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$17.49 $17.49

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.42 $6.42

6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.37 $1.37

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.60 $6.60

6.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$6.64 $6.64

-20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.23 $3.23

-16.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.84 $3.84

-21.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.73 $2.73

-11.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.33 $2.33

18.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.70 $12.70

$11.24 $11.24

12.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.07 $13.07

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.68 $1.68

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.78 $3.78

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.78 $2.78

-8.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.8 $75.8

$99.6 $99.6

-23.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 $1.78

$4.11 $4.11

-56.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.23 $1.23

9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.93 $23.93

$21.08 $21.08

13.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.95 $0.95

-5.26%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.8K $29.8K

-14.12%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

-2.89%

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

$174 $174

$279 $279

-37.67%

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

$57.9 $57.9

$53.5 $53.5

8.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 $80.1

$67.8 $67.8

18.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 $56.7

$43.06 $43.06

31.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.13 $30.13

$30.30 $30.30

-0.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$15.16 $15.16

-0.40%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$1,304 $1,304

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K $34.0K

$34.9K $34.9K

-2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$42.31 $42.31

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 $73.6

$56.2 $56.2

30.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$69.1 $69.1

22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$81.4 $81.4

35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$1,727 $1,727

8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$1,057 $1,057

25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,284 $3,284

$2,965 $2,965

10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 $2,274

$1,953 $1,953

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,450 $2,450

$2,851 $2,851

-14.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,346 $2,346

$1,864 $1,864

25.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,227 $4,227

$4,337 $4,337

-2.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.54

0.76%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pittsburgh, PA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Baltimore, MD and $1,727 in Pittsburgh, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pittsburgh, PA pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Baltimore, MD vs $59.0 in Pittsburgh, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $427 vs $463, with Baltimore, MD cheaper for home cooking.

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

Pittsburgh, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Baltimore, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pittsburgh, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pittsburgh, PA earns 3% less. 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: $1,882 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,727 in Pittsburgh, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Baltimore, MD pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pittsburgh, PA – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $81.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Pittsburgh, PA 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 Pittsburgh, PA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,513 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pittsburgh, PA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Pittsburgh, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.