| | Columbia, MD | Arlington, VA | United States |
| Overall | 127.9 | 164.3 | 100 |
| Food & Groceries | 104.5 | 115.2 | 100 |
| Health | 86.5 | 100.6 | 100 |
| Housing | 142.9 | 269.4 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $441,800 | $750,500 | $338,100 |
| Utilities | 10,970.0% | 9,830.0% | 10,000.0% |
| Transportation | 107.9 | 122.5 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 151.6 | 146.7 | 100 |
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?
In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.
Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate
Upgrade to Premium |
See Example
View More Data >
Reviews for Columbia 
28 Reviews
Lived here for a while, beautiful opportunities, pays well, overall nice More
Been here 30 years was great at first but once they added a transit bus from baltimore to columbia 15-18 years ago that was the beginning of the end. And about 5 years More
Columbia can be described in one word: unequal.
The neighborhood I live in, River Hill, is jam-packed with almost million-dollar homes, while the neighborhoods of Long More
Start Your Review of Columbia
Reviews for Arlington 36 Reviews
Lived here 17 years, amazing More
Resident for 20 years. There is nothing hidden about Arlington. It is an affluent inner suburb of DC with a highly educated, mostly professional, population. The More
We've lived in Arlington for the past 7 years, and have enjoyed it but would prefer a less expensive, more open area. We live in a townhouse in Rosslyn, close to the More
Start Your Review of Arlington
Most Recent Searches On Compare Cities
| Compare City | Compared To This City | |
| Seattle, Washington | Alexandria, Virginia | Compare |
| Huntington, New York | Brooklyn, New York | Compare |
| Elko, Nevada | Oregon, Ohio | Compare |
| Wilmington, Delaware | Seaford, Delaware | Compare |
| Norwood, Massachusetts | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Compare |
| Hutto, Texas | Maricopa, Arizona | Compare |
| Kettering, Ohio | Savannah, Tennessee | Compare |
| Waterville, Maine | Orono, Maine | Compare |
| Decatur, Georgia | Racine, Wisconsin | Compare |
| Clarksburg, Maryland | Woodbridge, Virginia | Compare |
| Mount Dora, Florida | Boise City, Idaho | Compare |
| Norwood, Massachusetts | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Compare |
| Norwood, Massachusetts | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Compare |
| Emmett, Idaho | Big Sandy, Montana | Compare |
| St. Helena, California | Carmel-By-The-Sea, California | Compare |
| Sturgis, South Dakota | Custer, South Dakota | Compare |
| Waterville, Maine | Orono, Maine | Compare |
| Birmingham, Michigan | Asheville, North Carolina | Compare |
| Wilmington, Delaware | Seaford, Delaware | Compare |
| Pavillion, Wyoming | Ethete, Wyoming | Compare |