

Atlanta vs Baltimore
$81/mo less in Baltimore
AtlantaBaltimoreAbout 581 miles apart, a flight.
- Baltimore costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,401/mo in Baltimore. $2,482/mo in Atlanta. −$972 a year.
Atlanta
$2,482
left each month
Baltimore
$2,401
−$81 vs Atlanta
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 396 households moved Atlanta → Baltimore (avg AGI $54,424). 598 went the other way. The whole move →
−$81 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Atlanta | Baltimore | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,875 | $8,265 | +$390 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,993 | $2,394 | +$401 |
| Take-home pay | $5,882 | $5,871 | −$12 |
| Rent | $1,399 | $1,509 | +$110 |
| Getting around | $580 | $482 | −$98 |
| Groceries | $392 | $408 | +$16 |
| Healthcare | $441 | $459 | +$18 |
| Utilities | $245 | $255 | +$10 |
| Everything else | $343 | $357 | +$14 |
| Left over | $2,482 | $2,401 | −$81 |
Salary to match Atlanta
$100,500
Gross pay in Baltimore that leaves the same amount as $94,500 in Atlanta.
Tax difference
−$3,429
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.3% in Atlanta, 29.0% in Baltimore.
More about Baltimore
Atlanta, GA in full
Big-city pay at mid-market housing costs, with a 31-minute average commute.
Baltimore, MD in full
DC salaries within commuting distance, at Baltimore prices.
The other way
Start in Baltimore.
Baltimore → Atlanta →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Baltimore than Atlanta?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Baltimore leaves about $81 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,399 in Atlanta and $1,509 in Baltimore.
Does Baltimore have state income tax?
Baltimore is in Maryland, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 3.20%.
What changes if you move from Atlanta to Baltimore?
The paycheck is taxed in Maryland. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Atlanta and Baltimore changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.