Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

vs
Baltimore

Maryland

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,410 in Baltimore, MD. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $59,623 in Baltimore, MD — about 19% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Maryland has a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Baltimore, MD

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$1,050
+3% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,073
+9% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,353
+4% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,555
+15% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$219,300
+21% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$59,623
+19% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$59,070
+15% in Baltimore, MD

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
36.1 yr
+2.5 yr in Baltimore, MD
Homeownership
54.8%
47.5%
+7.3 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
35.4%
+2.3 pp in Baltimore, MD
Avg Commute
26.7 min
29.4 min
+2.7 min in Baltimore, MD

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
492.4
1,616.7
+228% in Baltimore, MD
Property Crime
2,433.5
4,202.6
+73% in Baltimore, MD

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
61.4°F
+4.0°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
42.4 in
+2.8 in in Baltimore, MD

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.30/gal
+9% in Baltimore, MD

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs MTA Maryland (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
35.9
+119% in Baltimore, MD
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$17.19
+30% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MD)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.50%
+6.5 pp in MD

Arlington vs Baltimore — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Baltimore?
Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Baltimore, MD's $1,410, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Baltimore?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $43,000 in Baltimore.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Baltimore?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Baltimore under Maryland's (a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).