Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MD and Fontana, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Laurel, MD: $2,542 a month against $3,395 in Fontana, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Laurel, MD
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Laurel, MD Living Index
164

Cost of Living Index in Fontana, CA
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Fontana, CA Living Index

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Laurel, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,542

/mo nomad

Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,395

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Laurel, MD and in Fontana, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Laurel, MD and in Fontana, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,542 per month in Laurel, MD vs $3,395 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Laurel, MD $2,542
Fontana, CA $3,395

A couple spends around $4,252 per month in Laurel, MD vs $5,018 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Laurel, MD $4,252
Fontana, CA $5,018

A family of three spends $5,961 per month in Laurel, MD vs $6,640 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Laurel, MD $5,961
Fontana, CA $6,640

Laurel, MD is about 25% cheaper than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Laurel, MD and Fontana, CA sit above the global median – Laurel, MD by 87%, Fontana, CA by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 $17.90

$20.08 $20.08

-10.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 $96.4

$78.8 $78.8

22.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 $11.11

$14.72 $14.72

-24.52%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.73 $5.73

-6.28%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$3.40 $3.40

-12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.47 $2.47

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.28 $7.28

-6.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$9.61 $9.61

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.05 $1.05

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.13 $4.13

-3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.72 $4.72

-16.74%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$5.06 $5.06

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 $12.62

$13.11 $13.11

-3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$8.87 $8.87

43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.18 $18.18

$15.70 $15.70

15.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.71 $4.71

33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.17 $2.17

-29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.91 $3.91

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$5.45 $5.45

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.76 $3.76

-41.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.21 $2.21

19.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.01 $2.01

22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.91 $1.91

33.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.30 $13.30

$11.72 $11.72

13.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$15.27 $15.27

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.02 $2.02

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.07 $4.07

-21.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.43 $45.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 $1.85

$6.12 $6.12

-69.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.57 $23.57

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.53 $1.53

-32.03%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$28.3K $28.3K

-18.35%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-9.06%

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

$208 $208

$221 $221

-6.08%

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

$65.9 $65.9

$79.0 $79.0

-16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.6 $89.6

$60.0 $60.0

49.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 $15.00

$15.18 $15.18

-1.19%

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

$1,952 $1,952

$1,195 $1,195

63.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K $34.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$57.0 $57.0

-8.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$40.72 $40.72

39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$93.2 $93.2

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$103 $103

10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$1,970 $1,970

-30.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$2,071 $2,071

-38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,417 $2,417

$3,187 $3,187

-24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 $3,069

$3,737 $3,737

-17.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,230 $2,230

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 $2,528

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,404 $5,404

$4,906 $4,906

10.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.31

6.50%

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

Last update for Laurel, MD: October 27, 2026

Last update for Fontana, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Laurel, MD

$1.3K 49.8%

Fontana, CA

$2.1K 61% 63.5% $804

Groceries & Markets

Laurel, MD

$418 16.4%

Fontana, CA

$397 11.7% 5.1% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laurel, MD

$363 14.3%

Fontana, CA

$360 10.6% 0.8% $3

Eating Out

Laurel, MD

$314 12.3%

Fontana, CA

$353 10.4% 12.4% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Laurel, MD

$142 5.6%

Fontana, CA

$132 3.9% 6.6% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Laurel, MD

$30 * 1.2%

Fontana, CA

$30 * 0.9% 1.2% $0.4

Getting Around

Laurel, MD

$8.9 * 0.4%

Fontana, CA

$52 * 1.5% 480% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,374 in Laurel, MD versus $1,970 in Fontana, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Laurel, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Laurel, MD versus $79 in Fontana, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $397 – making Fontana, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Laurel, MD

🇺🇸 Fontana, CA

🕒 Local time

00:21 12:21 AM

21:21 9:21 PM

3 h behind Laurel, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,540

210,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Laurel, MD Fontana, CA 3,640 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Laurel, MD
Fontana, CA

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

Laurel, MD vs Fontana, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fontana, CA costs about 34% more than Laurel, MD, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,814 per month in Laurel, MD and $5,093 in Fontana, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laurel, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,374 there versus $1,970 in Fontana, CA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Laurel, MD and $79 in Fontana, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Fontana, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Laurel, MD, where all-in costs run around $2,542, than in Fontana, CA at $3,395. In Laurel, MD it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fontana, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fontana, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,542 in Laurel, MD to $3,395 in Fontana, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.