Question 1

Is Baltimore or Long Beach cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Baltimore, MD is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,473/month less than in Long Beach, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,857/mo in Baltimore versus $2,903/mo in Long Beach.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Baltimore vs Long Beach?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $91,000/year before tax in Baltimore, MD and $121,500/year in Long Beach, CA — a difference of about $30,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Baltimore or Long Beach cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Baltimore, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $8,370/month in Baltimore and $11,302/month in Long Beach, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Baltimore or Long Beach?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Baltimore 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	Baltimore50	Long Beach46
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,536	$6,009
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,370	$11,302
Salary for comfort	$91,000/yr	$121,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,857	$2,903
Median home value	$219,300	$762,200
Median household income	$59,623	$83,969
Unemployment	5.4%	5.1%
Housing score	48	5
Jobs score	30	27
Safety score	27	41
Climate score	99	100
Amenities score	34	91
Population	577.2K	458.5K
Summer high / winter low	92° / 32°	82° / 46°

Baltimore, MD vs Long Beach, CA