

Baltimore vs Seattle
$989/mo more in Seattle
BaltimoreSeattleAbout 2,307 miles apart, a flight.
- Seattle leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $3,380/mo in Seattle. $2,391/mo in Baltimore. +$11,868 a year.
Baltimore
$2,391
left each month
Seattle
$3,380
+$989 vs Baltimore
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 301 households moved Baltimore → Seattle (avg AGI $95,326). 187 went the other way. The whole move →
+$989 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Baltimore | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,250 | $9,340 | +$1,090 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,389 | $2,070 | −$318 |
| Take-home pay | $5,861 | $7,269 | +$1,408 |
| Rent | $1,509 | $1,758 | +$249 |
| Getting around | $482 | $493 | +$11 |
| Groceries | $408 | $452 | +$44 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $508 | +$49 |
| Utilities | $255 | $283 | +$28 |
| Everything else | $357 | $395 | +$38 |
| Left over | $2,391 | $3,380 | +$989 |
Salary to match Baltimore
$95,000
Gross pay in Seattle that leaves the same amount as $99,000 in Baltimore.
Tax difference
+$7,697
A year, in state and local income tax. Washington has no wage income tax.
More about Seattle
Baltimore, MD in full
DC salaries within commuting distance, at Baltimore prices.
Seattle, WA in full
No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.
The other way
Start in Seattle.
Seattle → Baltimore →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Seattle than Baltimore?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Seattle leaves about $989 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,509 in Baltimore and $1,758 in Seattle.
Does Seattle have state income tax?
Seattle is in Washington, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Baltimore to Seattle?
The paycheck is taxed in Washington. 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 Baltimore and Seattle 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.