City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 12.8% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $112,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.2% moving from Baltimore, MD to Corpus Christi, TX ($121,785 → $106,955), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,691 in Corpus Christi | $112,750 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Baltimore → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,023 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,042 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,943 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,955 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $126,389 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $60,210 | $67,887 (−11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $123,580 | $139,337 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $75,580 | $85,217 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $82,690 | $93,233 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.