City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 11.2% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $111,200 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Cleveland, OH ($121,785 → $111,138), while prices change by −10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,890 in Cleveland | $111,248 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Baltimore → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,448 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,977 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,461 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,138 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,331 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $76,470 | $85,071 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $111,310 | $123,830 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $80,000 | $88,998 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $83,940 | $93,381 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.