SalaryCompareTool

Reading, PA vs Baltimore, MD

Moving from Reading to Baltimore? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($312,348 → $405,877 median home) and taxes.

Reading vs Baltimore at a glance

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

Reading, PA Baltimore, MD Cost-of-living index Reading, PA — Cost-of-living index: 96 96 Baltimore, MD — Cost-of-living index: 103 103 Median home price Reading, PA — Median home price: $312k $312k Baltimore, MD — Median home price: $406k $406k Price per sqft Reading, PA — Price per sqft: $179 $179 Baltimore, MD — Price per sqft: $214 $214 Median rent Reading, PA — Median rent: $1,505 $1,505 Baltimore, MD — Median rent: $1,919 $1,919 Combined sales tax Reading, PA — Combined sales tax: 6.3% 6.3% Baltimore, MD — Combined sales tax: 6.0% 6.0% Property tax rate Reading, PA — Property tax rate: 1.86% 1.86% Baltimore, MD — Property tax rate: 1.04% 1.04% Violent crime /100k Reading, PA — Violent crime /100k: 390 390 Baltimore, MD — Violent crime /100k: 450 450 Electricity ¢/kWh Reading, PA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 21.5 21.5 Baltimore, MD — Electricity ¢/kWh: 22.1 22.1 Avg commute (min) Reading, PA — Avg commute (min): 25 25 Baltimore, MD — Avg commute (min): 30 30 Avg summer high °F Reading, PA — Avg summer high °F: 85° 85° Baltimore, MD — Avg summer high °F: 88° 88° Avg winter low °F Reading, PA — Avg winter low °F: 22° 22° Baltimore, MD — Avg winter low °F: 27° 27°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Reading, PA, you'd need about $106,964 in Baltimore, MD (+$6,964).

Livability — Reading, PA: 65 · Baltimore, MD: 57 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 2,801 sqft in Reading vs 2,341 sqft in Baltimore ($179 vs $214 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryReading, PABaltimore, MDDifference
Housing $18,060 $23,028 +$4,968
Groceries $4,915 $5,075 +$160
Transportation $3,440 $3,685 +$245
Utilities $2,316 $2,388 +$72
Insurance $1,200 $1,400 +$200
Taxes $9,491 $11,584 +$2,093
Total $39,422 $47,160 +$7,738

Side by side

MetricReading, PABaltimore, MD
Cost-of-living index96.5103.2
Unemployment rate5.38%4.86%
Population growth (5-yr)3.1%1.7%
Air quality (median AQI)4347
Big Mac price (est.)$5.49$5.87
Median home price$312,348$405,877
Home price ÷ income4.2×4.3×
1-yr home appreciation2.6%0.8%
Price per square foot$179$214
Median rent$1,505$1,919
Total tax burden (% income)10.6%11.3%
Combined sales tax6.34%6.00%
Capital gains tax3.07%5.75%
Property tax rate1.86%1.04%
Healthcare (annual)$7,000$7,200
Childcare (annual, infant)$12,000$16,000
Vehicle property taxNoneNone
Avg commute (min)2530
Home insurance / yr$1,200$1,400
Auto insurance / yr$1,600$1,900
Flood insurance / yr$650$750
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$100
Electricity ¢/kWh21.522.1
Gas $/gal3.553.30
Violent crime /100k390450
Avg summer high °F8588
Avg winter low °F2227
Permit difficulty (1–5)34
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