Moving to Missouri from Maryland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Maryland to Missouri? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Maryland to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 15.4% cheaper than Maryland. A $75,000 salary in Maryland would need to be roughly $59,017 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Maryland and Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $59,017

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 7.1% less

Groceries

pay 19.1% less

Transportation

pay 1.0% less

Housing

pay 11.8% less

Childcare

pay 41.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Missouri compared to Maryland.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
420
MO
453
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
2043
MO
2070

Maryland performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MD
6.0%
MO
8.9%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MD
33.4%
MO
37.5%

Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MD
$397,700
MO
$215,600
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MD
$1,662
MO
$996

Missouri performs significantly better than Maryland across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MD
91.6%
MO
88.3%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MD
32 min
MO
24 min

Maryland generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MD
3.7%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MD
$69,127
MO
$56,344

Maryland generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MD
76.8 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MD
29%
MO
22%

Maryland performs better than Missouri 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.

AnnapolisRain: 47.3 in/yr (1201 mm)
68°/50°F

Avg. annual high / low

ColumbiaRain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66°/46°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsAnnapolisColumbia
Jan–Mar50°/33°F (10°/0°C)47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun77°/57°F (25°/14°C)76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep86°/69°F (30°/20°C)86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec59°/42°F (15°/6°C)55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
MonthAnnapolisColumbia
Jan44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C)40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C)45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C)56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C)67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C)75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C)85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C)90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C)88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C)80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C)68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C)55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°C)42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Missouri than Maryland?

On average Missouri is about 21% less expensive than Maryland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Budget about $14,754 for 3 months in Missouri (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Missouri safe?

Maryland performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Maryland?

Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in diabetes rate.

What's the weather like in Missouri compared to Maryland?

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 68°F in Annapolis. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Annapolis gets 47.3 in.

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