City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 10.4% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $110,400 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,316 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Pittsburgh, PA ($121,785 → $110,047), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,606 in Pittsburgh | $110,369 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,316/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,316/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Baltimore → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $63,815 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,211 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $92,543 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $110,047 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $130,042 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $76,550 | $84,487 (+10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $124,500 | $137,409 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $76,940 | $84,918 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $82,370 | $90,911 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.