Moving to Michigan from Maryland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Maryland to Michigan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Maryland to Michigan, you would find that Michigan is 17.2% cheaper than Maryland. A $75,000 salary in Maryland would need to be roughly $61,530 in Michigan to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lansing averages 58°F vs 68°F in Annapolis, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Maryland and Michigan.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $61,530
To maintain the same standard of living in Michigan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.8% less
Groceries
pay 23.1% less
Transportation
pay 9.3% less
Housing
pay 11.6% less
Childcare
pay 40.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Michigan compared to Maryland.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Maryland generally does better on safety, though Michigan leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Michigan leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Michigan performs significantly better than Maryland across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Maryland generally does better on infrastructure, though Michigan leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Maryland performs better than Michigan across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Maryland performs better than Michigan across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Annapolis | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/33°F (10°/0°C) | 36°/21°F (2°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) | 79°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 59°/42°F (15°/6°C) | 47°/32°F (9°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Annapolis | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C) | 31°/17°F (-0.8°/-8.3°C) |
| Feb | 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C) | 34°/19°F (0.9°/-7.4°C) |
| Mar | 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C) | 44°/27°F (6.7°/-2.8°C) |
| Apr | 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C) | 58°/38°F (14.2°/3.3°C) |
| May | 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C) | 69°/48°F (20.5°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Jul | 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.2°C) |
| Aug | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C) | 81°/60°F (27.0°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C) | 74°/51°F (23.1°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C) | 60°/41°F (15.8°/5.1°C) |
| Nov | 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C) | 47°/33°F (8.6°/0.5°C) |
| Dec | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°C) | 35°/22°F (1.6°/-5.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Michigan than Maryland?
On average Michigan is about 18% less expensive than Maryland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Michigan?
Budget about $15,382 for 3 months in Michigan (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Michigan safe?
Maryland generally does better on safety, though Michigan leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Michigan compared to Maryland?
Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Michigan leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Michigan compared to Maryland?
The average high temperature in Lansing is 58°F, compared to 68°F in Annapolis. Lansing receives around 32.2 in of rainfall per year, while Annapolis gets 47.3 in.
