Last update: Oct 2026

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

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

126

Cost of Living Index in Plano, TX
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Plano, TX Living Index
122

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

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Plano, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,597

/mo nomad

Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,496

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Plano, TX 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 Plano, TX and in Baltimore, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 $19.95

$17.82 $17.82

11.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 $77.1

$96.4 $96.4

-20.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$10.83 $10.83

-5.91%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$5.12 $5.12

7.62%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$3.32 $3.32

-19.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.70 $2.70

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 $6.80

$7.15 $7.15

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$7.78 $7.78

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.12 $1.12

-15.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$4.07 $4.07

-20.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.06 $4.06

18.97%

Eggs

$4.81 $4.81

$4.77 $4.77

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$12.64 $12.64

5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$12.78 $12.78

-11.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 $18.73

$18.64 $18.64

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$6.11 $6.11

-25.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.54 $1.54

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.75 $5.75

-51.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.94 $4.94

-38.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.81 $2.81

-17.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.87 $2.87

-12.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.38 $2.38

-19.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.27 $2.27

24.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.21 $10.21

$13.41 $13.41

-23.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$15.43 $15.43

3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.55 $2.55

-32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.99 $3.99

-19.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.94 $1.94

137.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$77.3 $77.3

37.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 $1.78

63.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.39 $1.39

24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.92 $14.92

$23.70 $23.70

-37.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.08 $1.08

-14.81%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$33.5K $33.5K

-19.06%

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)

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.99%

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

$47.18 $47.18

$66.1 $66.1

-28.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 $54.7

$90.8 $90.8

-39.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 $91.8

$49.88 $49.88

84.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.93 $3.93

$48.45 $48.45

-91.89%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$14.99 $14.99

0.13%

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

$1,312 $1,312

$1,962 $1,962

-33.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$35.5K $35.5K

-31.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$52.3 $52.3

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 $37.94

$63.4 $63.4

-40.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$93.3 $93.3

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 $68.3

$110 $110

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$1,768 $1,768

-12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$1,062 $1,062

14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$2,366 $2,366

16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$2,118 $2,118

12.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,365 $2,365

$2,545 $2,545

-7.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,423 $2,423

$2,336 $2,336

3.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,756 $5,756

$4,241 $4,241

35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.72

-3.12%

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

Last update for Plano, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Plano, TX

$1.2K 46.7%

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.6% 12.4% $150

Groceries & Markets

Plano, TX

$392 15.1%

Baltimore, MD

$435 17.4% 11% $43

Eating Out

Plano, TX

$326 12.5%

Baltimore, MD

$312 12.5% 4.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Plano, TX

$296 11.4%

Baltimore, MD

$370 14.8% 25.1% $74

Getting Around

Plano, TX

$136 5.3%

Baltimore, MD

$94 3.8% 31.3% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Plano, TX

$122 4.7%

Baltimore, MD

$80 3.2% 34.4% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Plano, TX

$113 4.4%

Baltimore, MD

$144 5.8% 26.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,550 in Plano, TX and $1,768 in Baltimore, MD. 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: $77.0 in Plano, TX vs $96.0 in Baltimore, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $435 per month, with Plano, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Plano, TX

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

1 h ahead of Plano, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

288,253

585,708

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Plano, TX Baltimore, MD 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Plano, TX
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

Plano, TX vs Baltimore, MD: 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.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Plano, TX, 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: $1,550 in Plano, TX versus $1,768 in Baltimore, MD. 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.