City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.4% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $104,400 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,386 in MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.2% moving from Atlanta, GA to Baltimore, MD ($112,556 → $121,785), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,426 in Baltimore | $95,761 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
56 Fair offer
Baltimore, MD → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Atlanta → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $70,623 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $85,447 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $102,415 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $121,785 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $143,913 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $76,400 | $73,162 (−4.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $138,900 | $133,012 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $85,160 | $81,550 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $99,550 | $95,330 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.