Question 1

Is Baltimore or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Baltimore, MD is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $207/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,857/mo in Baltimore versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Baltimore vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $91,000/year before tax in Baltimore, MD and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $6,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Baltimore or Seattle 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 $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Baltimore or Seattle?

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	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,536	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,370	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$91,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,857	$2,501
Median home value	$219,300	$912,100
Median household income	$59,623	$121,984
Unemployment	5.4%	4.5%
Housing score	48	35
Jobs score	30	36
Safety score	27	40
Climate score	99	92
Amenities score	34	90
Population	577.2K	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	92° / 32°	76° / 37°

Baltimore, MD vs Seattle, WA