Cost of Living Comparison Between Foster City, CA and Baltimore, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Foster City, CA and Baltimore, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,264 in Foster City, CA versus $2,460 in Baltimore, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,005 in Foster City, CA versus $3,792 in Baltimore, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,745 in Foster City, CA versus $5,124 in Baltimore, MD.

Living in Foster City, CA is roughly 73% more expensive than in Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Foster City, CA 210% above, Baltimore, MD 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 $25.44

$18.79 $18.79

35.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$91.7 $91.7

18.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$10.90 $10.90

8.90%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.16 $5.16

4.84%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.56 $3.56

-13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.67 $2.67

-20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$6.79 $6.79

16.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.12 $8.12

-2.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.16 $1.16

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.63 $3.63

34.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.06 $4.06

-44.58%

Eggs

$6.98 $6.98

$5.09 $5.09

37.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$12.89 $12.89

19.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$12.37 $12.37

6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$18.63 $18.63

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$5.76 $5.76

15.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.46 $1.46

46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.86 $5.86

7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$4.74 $4.74

-28.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.97 $2.97

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.77 $2.77

9.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.52 $2.52

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.30 $2.30

-11.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.62 $11.62

$14.15 $14.15

-17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$15.34 $15.34

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.75 $3.75

-17.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.01 $2.01

89.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$187 $187

$75.6 $75.6

147.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.82 $1.82

78.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.34 $1.34

73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.79 $39.79

$23.97 $23.97

66.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.02 $1.02

46.08%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.5K $36.5K

2.13%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.35%

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

$267 $267

$211 $211

26.53%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$66.4 $66.4

-23.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$88.7 $88.7

-24.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 $108

$51.4 $51.4

110.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.67 $46.67

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 $17.29

$15.26 $15.26

13.30%

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

$2,759 $2,759

$1,983 $1,983

39.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

$34.8K $34.8K

6.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 $46.81

$53.3 $53.3

-12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 $30.19

$63.1 $63.1

-52.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 $67.3

$90.9 $90.9

-25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 $50.9

$112 $112

-54.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,009 $3,009

$1,685 $1,685

78.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,557 $2,557

$1,052 $1,052

143.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$2,498 $2,498

336.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,527 $9,527

$2,297 $2,297

314.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,675 $6,675

$4,468 $4,468

49.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.26

1.60%

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

Last update for Foster City, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,009 in Foster City, CA and $1,685 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Foster City, CA pays 49% 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: $109 in Foster City, CA vs $92.0 in Baltimore, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $428 per month, with Baltimore, MD cheaper across the board.

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

Foster City, CA vs Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Foster City, CA. 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 49% higher in Foster City, CA, 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: $3,009 in Foster City, CA versus $1,685 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Foster City, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Baltimore, MD – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $109 in Foster City, CA. 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 $2,460 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Foster City, CA and Baltimore, MD are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Foster City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.