Moving from Baltimore to Philadelphia
Your paycheck buys slightly more in Philadelphia than in Baltimore (+2.6%). Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Philadelphia: $97,200
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $97,200 in Philadelphia, PA to match $100,000 in Baltimore, MD ($2,800 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Maryland and Pennsylvania state income tax; includes Baltimore resident tax $2,990 and Philadelphia resident tax $3,735 (inside city limits).
Baltimore vs Philadelphia: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,633 → $1,567/mo
- Median home value
- $403,000 → $375,100
- Median household income
- $98,666 → $90,850
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 104.5 → 102.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (84.1 → 94.5 of 100)
Baltimore vs Philadelphia cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Baltimore, MD | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 104.5 | 102.6 |
| Median rent | $1,633 | $1,567 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $65,320 | $62,680 |
| Median home value | $403,000 | $375,100 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,576 | $2,498 |
| Income needed to buy | $110,384 | $107,073 |
| Median property tax | $3,927 | $5,016 |
| State income tax on $100,000 | $4,386 | $3,070 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $2,990 | $3,735 |
| Metro population | 2,859,024 | 6,330,422 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
- Baltimore, MD: Baltimore City residents pay a 3.2% local income tax on Maryland taxable income, in place of a county rate. It is a residence tax: if you live in a Maryland county instead, you pay that county's rate (2.25%–3.3%) wherever you work, and the calculator uses the state's average county rate for that case. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
- Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia residents pay a 3.735% wage tax on all earnings (from July 1, 2026; 3.74% before). If you live outside Philadelphia but work in the city, you pay the 3.425% nonresident wage tax on those wages instead of your home town's tax. Most Pennsylvania suburbs charge their own earned income tax, usually 1%; the New Jersey suburbs have no local income tax. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: Baltimore vs Philadelphia
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $58,263 a year in Baltimore and $58,448 in Philadelphia if you rent: $185 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $69,574 and $69,624 ($50 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | BaltimoreBefore | PhiladelphiaAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $28,197 | $27,695 | -$502 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,990 | $1,742 | -$248 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,477 | $1,155 | -$322 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,035 | $2,188 | +$153 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $4,968 | $6,864 | +$1,896 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,596 | $18,804 | -$792 |
| Total if you rent | $58,263 | $58,448 | +$185 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $25,609 | $23,836 | -$1,773 |
| Property tax median home | $3,927 | $5,016 | +$1,089 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,371 | $1,128 | -$243 |
| Total if you buy | $69,574 | $69,624 | +$50 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $25,321 a year in Baltimore and $14,910 in Philadelphia (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Baltimore to Philadelphia
About 2,145 households (3,294 people) moved from the Baltimore metro area to the Philadelphia metro area in 2022–2023, making Philadelphia the #2 destination for people leaving Baltimore among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,058 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $70,017.
Cost to move from Baltimore to Philadelphia
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 110 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Baltimore vs Philadelphia
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Baltimore area among the highest (score 84.1) and the Philadelphia area among the highest (score 94.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $182 vs $339 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Philadelphia cheaper than Baltimore?
Overall prices in the Philadelphia area are 1.8% lower than in Baltimore (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,567 vs $1,633 a month, and the median home is $375,100 vs $403,000.
What salary do I need in Philadelphia to match $100,000 in Baltimore?
About $97,200, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Maryland and Pennsylvania state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Baltimore to Philadelphia?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 110 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Baltimore to Philadelphia?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,145 households (3,294 people) moved from the Baltimore metro area to the Philadelphia metro area, and 2,058 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Baltimore move
- Baltimore to Washington, D.C. 12,103 households
- Baltimore to New York 1,860 households
- Miami 875 households
- Tampa 645 households
- Atlanta 598 households
- Los Angeles 573 households
- Dallas 558 households
- Boston 555 households