Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Plano, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Baltimore, MD and in Plano, TX: $2,496 and $2,597 a month, rent and utilities included.

122

Cost of Living Index in Baltimore, MD
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Baltimore, MD Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Plano, TX
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Plano, TX Living Index

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Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,496

/mo nomad

Plano, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,597

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baltimore, MD and in Plano, TX

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 Plano, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,496 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,597 in Plano, TX.

Baltimore, MD $2,496
Plano, TX $2,597

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,936 in Baltimore, MD versus $4,016 in Plano, TX.

Baltimore, MD $3,936
Plano, TX $4,016

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,376 in Baltimore, MD versus $5,435 in Plano, TX.

Baltimore, MD $5,376
Plano, TX $5,435

Living in Baltimore, MD costs roughly 4% less than in Plano, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baltimore, MD 84% above, Plano, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$19.95 $19.95

-10.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 $96.4

$77.1 $77.1

25.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$10.19 $10.19

6.28%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$5.51 $5.51

-7.08%

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

$3.32 $3.32

$2.66 $2.66

24.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.35 $2.35

14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.80 $6.80

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$7.65 $7.65

1.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.95 $0.95

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.22 $3.22

26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.83 $4.83

-15.94%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$4.81 $4.81

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$13.31 $13.31

-5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$11.29 $11.29

13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 $18.64

$18.73 $18.73

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.58 $4.58

33.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.55 $1.55

-0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$2.79 $2.79

106.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.03 $3.03

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.32 $2.32

21.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.51 $2.51

14.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.92 $1.92

23.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.83 $2.83

-19.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 $13.41

$10.21 $10.21

31.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 $15.43

$15.91 $15.91

-3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.71 $1.71

49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.22 $3.22

23.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.61 $4.61

-57.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 $77.3

$106 $106

-27.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.91 $2.91

-38.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.73 $1.73

-19.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 $23.70

$14.92 $14.92

58.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.92 $0.92

17.39%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

23.55%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

0.02%

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

$213 $213

$194 $194

9.88%

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

$66.1 $66.1

$47.18 $47.18

40.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 $90.8

$54.7 $54.7

65.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.88 $49.88

$91.8 $91.8

-45.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.45 $48.45

$3.93 $3.93

1132.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 $14.99

$15.01 $15.01

-0.13%

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

$1,962 $1,962

$1,312 $1,312

49.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.5K $35.5K

$24.3K $24.3K

46.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$58.5 $58.5

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$37.94 $37.94

67.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 $93.3

$87.2 $87.2

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$68.3 $68.3

61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$1,550 $1,550

14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 $1,062

$1,212 $1,212

-12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 $2,366

$2,748 $2,748

-13.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 $2,118

$2,374 $2,374

-10.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 $2,545

$2,365 $2,365

7.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,423 $2,423

-3.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,241 $4,241

$5,756 $5,756

-26.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.51

3.23%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 18, 2026

Last update for Plano, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.6%

Plano, TX

$1.2K 46.7% 14.1% $150

Groceries & Markets

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4%

Plano, TX

$392 15.1% 9.9% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baltimore, MD

$370 14.8%

Plano, TX

$296 11.4% 20.1% $74

Eating Out

Baltimore, MD

$312 12.5%

Plano, TX

$326 12.5% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8%

Plano, TX

$113 4.4% 21.1% $30

Getting Around

Baltimore, MD

$94 3.8%

Plano, TX

$136 5.3% 45.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Baltimore, MD

$80 3.2%

Plano, TX

$122 4.7% 52.5% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,768 in Baltimore, MD and $1,550 in Plano, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 36% 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 $77.0 in Plano, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $392 per month, with Plano, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 Plano, TX

🕒 Local time

22:14 10:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

1 h behind Baltimore, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

585,708

288,253

💱 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 Plano, TX 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Baltimore, MD
Plano, TX

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 Plano, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Plano, TX. 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 36% lower in Plano, TX. 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 $1,550 in Plano, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Plano, TX pay roughly 11% 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 $77.0 in Plano, TX. 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 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 Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Plano, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.