‌Cost of Living in Maryland (vs. Your State)

Blue crabs and bike rides, hiking and history, arts and architecture: Maryland has everything. This is where the Chesapeake Bay yields its bounty. This is where the Star-Spangled Banner was written. This is where DRB Homes builds some of the best places to live.

Maryland stretches from the mountains to the suburbs to the city to the beaches of the Eastern Shore and every blending in between.  

Maryland’s diverse locations infuse and flavor the state’s kaleidoscope of culture. Every area seems to have its own slang, favorite foods, and entertainment venues, yet each one contributes to the overall wonder that is the state. 

Though it has an average cost of living higher than the national average, the cost is worth it for the convenience and proximity of the nation’s capital and all the amazing opportunities it offers. And that’s only part of Maryland’s appeal! 

But the true cost-of-living test is to see how it compares to where you live now. To learn why you should look for a home here, let us examine side-by-side comparisons and discover why living in Maryland is so great!

(Details in the following comparisons use Forbes Advisor’s Cost of Living Calculator comparing Baltimore, Maryland, with an equivalent city using a pre-tax household income of $70,000.)

Cost of Living in Maryland vs. Virginia

To compare Maryland to Virginia, let’s look at Arlington. Here, the cost of living is 24% higher than Maryland, and a new home will cost about 107% more. Gas is a little more expensive in Arlington: 8.6% more. Even though it’s so close to Maryland, healthcare is about 23% higher and that important cup of coffee is about 6.6% more expensive in Virginia.

Cost of Living in Maryland vs Delaware

Delaware (Dover, for this analysis) is farther from D.C., and the cost of living there reflects that, being 6% lower. Housing costs are also lower (11%), but the price of gas is about 5% higher. Healthcare is 3% higher in Delaware, and coffee costs a little over 3% more. 

Cost of Living in Maryland vs New York

To compare Maryland to New York, let’s use New York City as a measuring stick. The cost of living is 53% higher there than in Maryland. Homes cost an outrageous 354% more, while gas is a little over 11% more expensive. Healthcare is 19% higher in New York, and coffee will cost you a little over 18% more there too.

Cost of Living in Maryland vs Florida

And now we head south to Florida, this time looking to Miami for comparison. The cost of living is 11% higher here than in Maryland. Homes cost about 40% more, and gasoline is over 3% higher in the south. Healthcare will cost you 3% more in Miami, but coffee is actually over 3% lower.

Cost of Living in Maryland vs Texas

Are things always bigger in Texas? To find out, we’re using Dallas as a measuring stick. The cost of living in Dallas is 4% lower than in Maryland, and home prices follow that trend (10% lower). Gasoline is a little over 9% lower, which makes sense given all of Texas’s oil. Healthcare in the Lone Star State, however, is 21% more expensive. But your cup of coffee will, at least, cost you about 11% less. 

Cost of Living in Maryland vs Arizona

Phoenix (our representative for Arizona) has a pretty close cost of living to Maryland, just 2% lower. Housing costs, however, are 16% higher and gas is 11% higher in Phoenix. Healthcare is almost on par (just 1% higher), but your cup of coffee is going to cost you about 7.6% more in Phoenix.

Cost of Living in Maryland vs California

In sunny California, let’s turn our sights to San Francisco. The cost of living here is 39% higher than Maryland, and homes cost about 183% more. Gas is a little over 30% higher, while healthcare is about 40% higher on the West Coast. And we hate to tell you, but coffee in San Francisco will cost you over 23% more than in Maryland.

Cost of Living in Maryland vs Hawaii

And let’s go from the West Coast into the Pacific Ocean and compare how Honolulu, Hawaii, compares to Maryland. The cost of living in Honolulu is 42% higher than Maryland, and homes are 194% more expensive. gas will cost you almost 28% more on the island, and so will healthcare. Coffee is also more expensive here, around 33% more!

Living in Maryland: Final Thoughts

Maryland offers homeowners the ability to live near D.C., without living in D.C. It provides natural beauty, legendary beaches, and a wide variety of communities and home types from which you can choose. And the seafood from the Chesapeake Bay is without compare! 

Maryland is a hub of opportunity, full of government and government contracting, aerospace, medical, and bio-research jobs. Higher education is also celebrated here, with the University of Maryland, Towson University, Maryland Institute College of Art, Johns Hopkins University, and the United States Naval Academy all calling Maryland home.

When you are ready to find your new home in Baltimore County, Baltimore City, the Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, or the Capital Region, DRB Homes has you covered! Once you find your ideal location and home, schedule a tour and enjoy living in Maryland.