Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norfolk, VA and Baltimore, MD

For one person, living costs are similar in Norfolk, VA and in Baltimore, MD: $2,428 and $2,499 a month, rent and utilities included.

117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
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Norfolk, VA Living Index
122

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

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Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Norfolk, VA and in Baltimore, MD

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,428 in Norfolk, VA versus $2,499 in Baltimore, MD.

Norfolk, VA $2,428
Baltimore, MD $2,499

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,629 in Norfolk, VA versus $3,913 in Baltimore, MD.

Norfolk, VA $3,629
Baltimore, MD $3,913

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,829 in Norfolk, VA versus $5,327 in Baltimore, MD.

Norfolk, VA $4,829
Baltimore, MD $5,327

Living in Norfolk, VA costs roughly 3% less than in Baltimore, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Norfolk, VA 80% above, Baltimore, MD 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$17.77 $17.77

4.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$96.2 $96.2

-5.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$10.82 $10.82

6.65%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$5.24 $5.24

12.60%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$3.43 $3.43

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.62 $2.62

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$7.03 $7.03

-12.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.92 $7.92

-10.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.15 $1.15

-13.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.16 $4.16

-5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$4.09 $4.09

34.47%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.80 $4.80

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$12.75 $12.75

22.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$12.73 $12.73

-23.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$18.47 $18.47

-2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.90 $5.90

-17.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.52 $1.52

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.75 $5.75

-13.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$4.84 $4.84

17.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.81 $2.81

-20.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.90 $2.90

24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.40 $2.40

-22.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.29 $2.29

-6.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$14.13 $14.13

-34.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.40 $15.40

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.59 $2.59

-30.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.91 $3.91

-29.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.06 $2.06

-4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$78.0 $78.0

32.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.75 $1.75

166.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.38 $1.38

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.09 $18.09

$24.39 $24.39

-25.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.03 $1.03

-3.88%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$36.4K $36.4K

-3.51%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

-0.04%

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

$213 $213

$216 $216

-1.41%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$65.8 $65.8

-14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$89.3 $89.3

-24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 $40.15

$50.2 $50.2

-20.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$48.01 $48.01

-63.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$15.23 $15.23

-22.72%

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

$1,480 $1,480

$1,980 $1,980

-25.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$35.6K $35.6K

-55.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$53.1 $53.1

2.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.10 $48.10

$63.4 $63.4

-24.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$91.9 $91.9

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$112 $112

7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 $1,233

$1,751 $1,751

-29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,060 $1,060

-2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 $2,158

$2,362 $2,362

-8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$2,064 $2,064

-18.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,458 $2,458

$2,512 $2,512

-2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,304 $2,304

$2,353 $2,353

-2.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 $3,423

$4,460 $4,460

-23.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.72

-2.23%

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

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5%

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.4% 2.7% $28

Groceries & Markets

Norfolk, VA

$412 17%

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4% 5.5% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9%

Baltimore, MD

$371 14.9% 10.4% $35

Eating Out

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1%

Baltimore, MD

$313 12.5% 1.8% $5.8

Clothing & Footwear

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8%

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8% 1.7% $2.4

Getting Around

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1%

Baltimore, MD

$95 3.8% 22.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6%

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2% 26.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Norfolk, VA and $1,751 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 30% 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: $91.0 in Norfolk, VA vs $96.0 in Baltimore, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $435 per month, with Norfolk, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

Same time as Norfolk, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

242,803

585,708

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Norfolk, VA Baltimore, MD 270 km

From you

Norfolk, VA
Baltimore, MD

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

Norfolk, VA vs Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Norfolk, VA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Baltimore, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Norfolk, VA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Baltimore, MD. 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: $1,233 in Norfolk, VA versus $1,751 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Baltimore, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Norfolk, VA – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $96.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,428 in Norfolk, VA versus $2,499 in Baltimore, MD, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Norfolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Baltimore, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Norfolk, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Norfolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.