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Grand Rapids, MI vs Baltimore, MD

Moving from Grand Rapids to Baltimore? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($359,923 → $405,877 median home) and taxes.

Grand Rapids vs Baltimore at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

Grand Rapids, MI Baltimore, MD Cost-of-living index Grand Rapids, MI — Cost-of-living index: 95 95 Baltimore, MD — Cost-of-living index: 103 103 Median home price Grand Rapids, MI — Median home price: $360k $360k Baltimore, MD — Median home price: $406k $406k Price per sqft Grand Rapids, MI — Price per sqft: $218 $218 Baltimore, MD — Price per sqft: $214 $214 Median rent Grand Rapids, MI — Median rent: $1,623 $1,623 Baltimore, MD — Median rent: $1,919 $1,919 Combined sales tax Grand Rapids, MI — Combined sales tax: 6.0% 6.0% Baltimore, MD — Combined sales tax: 6.0% 6.0% Property tax rate Grand Rapids, MI — Property tax rate: 1.16% 1.16% Baltimore, MD — Property tax rate: 1.04% 1.04% Violent crime /100k Grand Rapids, MI — Violent crime /100k: 460 460 Baltimore, MD — Violent crime /100k: 450 450 Electricity ¢/kWh Grand Rapids, MI — Electricity ¢/kWh: 21.4 21.4 Baltimore, MD — Electricity ¢/kWh: 22.1 22.1 Avg commute (min) Grand Rapids, MI — Avg commute (min): 22 22 Baltimore, MD — Avg commute (min): 30 30 Avg summer high °F Grand Rapids, MI — Avg summer high °F: 83° 83° Baltimore, MD — Avg summer high °F: 88° 88° Avg winter low °F Grand Rapids, MI — Avg winter low °F: 16° 16° Baltimore, MD — Avg winter low °F: 27° 27°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI, you'd need about $108,643 in Baltimore, MD (+$8,643).

Livability — Grand Rapids, MI: 63 · Baltimore, MD: 57 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 2,293 sqft in Grand Rapids vs 2,341 sqft in Baltimore ($218 vs $214 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryGrand Rapids, MIBaltimore, MDDifference
Housing $19,476 $23,028 +$3,552
Groceries $4,703 $5,075 +$372
Transportation $4,575 $3,685 −$890
Utilities $2,316 $2,388 +$72
Insurance $1,300 $1,400 +$100
Taxes $9,139 $11,584 +$2,445
Total $41,509 $47,160 +$5,651

Side by side

MetricGrand Rapids, MIBaltimore, MD
Cost-of-living index95.0103.2
Unemployment rate4.32%4.86%
Population growth (5-yr)4.6%1.7%
Air quality (median AQI)5147
Big Mac price (est.)$5.40$5.87
Median home price$359,923$405,877
Home price ÷ income4.7×4.3×
1-yr home appreciation4.8%0.8%
Price per square foot$218$214
Median rent$1,623$1,919
Total tax burden (% income)10.0%11.3%
Combined sales tax6.00%6.00%
Capital gains tax4.25%5.75%
Property tax rate1.16%1.04%
Healthcare (annual)$6,500$7,200
Childcare (annual, infant)$11,000$16,000
Vehicle property tax0.61%None
Avg commute (min)2230
Home insurance / yr$1,300$1,400
Auto insurance / yr$2,700$1,900
Flood insurance / yr$600$750
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$100
Electricity ¢/kWh21.422.1
Gas $/gal3.353.30
Violent crime /100k460450
Avg summer high °F8388
Avg winter low °F1627
Permit difficulty (1–5)34
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