Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Baltimore, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Baltimore, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,522 in Long Island, NY versus $2,751 in Baltimore, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,143 in Long Island, NY versus $4,032 in Baltimore, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,764 in Long Island, NY versus $5,314 in Baltimore, MD.

Living in Long Island, NY is roughly 28% more expensive than Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Island, NY 162% above, Baltimore, MD 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$19.83 $19.83

1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$79.7 $79.7

23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.61 $13.61

$10.06 $10.06

35.29%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$4.91 $4.91

-0.20%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$2.36 $2.36

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.11 $2.11

-16.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.91 $5.91

15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.62 $7.62

5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.80 $3.80

-3.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.54 $4.54

8.59%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.28 $4.28

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$13.33 $13.33

31.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$10.08 $10.08

18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$16.38 $16.38

-7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$6.99 $6.99

-30.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.57 $1.57

12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$6.86 $6.86

-40.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.26 $5.26

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.71 $2.71

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.05 $3.05

24.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.40 $2.40

-7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.77 $2.77

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$12.29 $12.29

-2.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$15.12 $15.12

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.24 $2.24

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.12 $4.12

-0.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.56 $2.56

15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 $127

$76.5 $76.5

66.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.84 $1.84

65.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.39 $1.39

44.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.09 $24.09

$23.84 $23.84

1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.86 $0.86

5.81%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$25.5K $25.5K

-4.19%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

-3.49%

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

$128 $128

$175 $175

-26.97%

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

$45.10 $45.10

$56.5 $56.5

-20.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$79.9 $79.9

-22.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 $33.48

$58.8 $58.8

-43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.02 $30.02

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 $12.76

$14.95 $14.95

-14.65%

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

$2,246 $2,246

$1,286 $1,286

74.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$33.3K $33.3K

-28.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.65 $40.65

$51.5 $51.5

-21.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$71.4 $71.4

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 $74.9

$87.1 $87.1

-14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$112 $112

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,846 $1,846

26.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,331 $1,331

69.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,152 $4,152

$3,354 $3,354

23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,595 $3,595

$2,199 $2,199

63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,243 $4,243

$2,479 $2,479

71.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,299 $4,299

$2,287 $2,287

87.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,053 $5,053

$4,233 $4,233

19.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.59

-2.28%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: June 9, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Long Island, NY and $1,846 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Island, NY pays 19% 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: $99.0 in Long Island, NY vs $80.0 in Baltimore, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $417 vs $428, with Long Island, NY 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

Long Island, NY vs Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Long Island, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Long Island, NY pays 19% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Long Island, NY versus $1,846 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Long Island, NY pay roughly 3% 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 $80.0 versus $99.0 in Long Island, NY. 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 $2,751 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Long Island, NY 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 28% less than in Long Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.