Do you really want to live near Baltimore?

Also it's not just the state income tax, there's county/city income tax.

Personally, you should move to where you want to be. And of course where you can comfortably afford to be.

Depends on what is important to you. Sure you can save money but then you have to live in Baltimore. I care more about enjoying where I live (I don’t particularly enjoy Baltimore) than the cost. Same reason I wouldn’t want to live in the suburbs.

Yeah, I'm accounting for the county/city tax too. Taxes would cost me about $100 more per month based on napkin math.

IDK, I am bit burned out on DC and want to try something new but don't want to move too far away.

If you're burned on DC, that might be a reason to move.

Original post focused on the financial benefits of moving. Not a favorable reason to move IMO if you are otherwise happy.

You have friends that moved there, what do they think?

One of my friends bought a house in Baltimore. Same house would have gone for 50% or 75% more in DC. She enjoys living in Baltimore, but for her, moving to Baltimore was the equivalent of moving back home. (She grew up in a rural part of northern Maryland.)

I've visited her in Baltimore twice already, her neighborhood is really nice, has a somewhat similar vibe to Petworth.

Not a fan of Baltimore. But, to each their own.

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Are you sure your lease will rise that much given DC's rent control?

It is a lot cheaper to live in Baltimore, but there are tons of reasons for that, that are pretty obvious.

Spent a few years in Baltimore between DC stops. The short answer is yes; I paid similar monthly prices for 4x the square footage, but MD isn’t exactly a bargain shopper of a state overall.

However, as others have posted, you have to live in Baltimore. It has its spots, the neighborhoods can be quite charming and the people in general are much friendlier, I found. That being said, it’s a city you have to talk yourself into. If you think kids run amuck in DC, boy are you in for a treat. There are large sections of the city where you just shouldn’t go, it isn’t exactly the cleanest, the roads are a mess and good god i saw more reckless drivers than anywhere in my life, on a daily basis.

If you’re considering living in the city look in Fells Point or Canton. Just my two cents. The Towson area just north is nice as well.

I’ve never looked into living in Baltimore, but my impression was that this (real estate) is where the real cost of living difference is.

Like everyone else has said, I’d only move there if you could see yourself living there. Do you love crab? There’s no sense in relocating for $3,000/year savings alone.

On the other hand, if you don’t have anything really anchoring you here, you’re burnt out of DC, and have the financial flexibility to relocate, why the heck not give it a try? Maybe you’ll love it there, and stay regardless of cost of living.

You can buy a townhouse on druidhill for $10-$25k. Downside, u live on druid hill.

Why Baltimore as opposed to one of the NoVa suburbs? Taxes are better there, commute will be easier on the few days you need to come in, and you can find cheap rent. Having lived in both cities, there’s no getting around the fact that NoVa is a nicer place to live.

Rent control only applies to buildings built before 1976.