Question 1

Is Arlington or Baltimore cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $425/month less than in Baltimore, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,857/mo in Baltimore.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Baltimore?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $91,000/year in Baltimore, MD — a difference of about $19,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Baltimore cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $8,370/month in Baltimore, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Baltimore?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Arlington costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Baltimore50
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$4,536
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$8,370
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$91,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,857
Median home value	$276,400	$219,300
Median household income	$73,519	$59,623
Unemployment	4.1%	5.4%
Housing score	60	48
Jobs score	58	30
Safety score	65	27
Climate score	96	99
Amenities score	73	34
Population	394.8K	577.2K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	92° / 32°

Arlington, TX vs Baltimore, MD