2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Columbia, MD vs Ocean City, MD

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Ocean City or is it cheaper to live in Columbia?
- Ocean City is 21.6% less expensive than Columbia.

Which city has more affordable housing, Ocean City or Columbia?
- Ocean City housing costs are 16.7% less expensive than Columbia housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Columbia or is Health Care more affordable in Ocean City.
- Health related expenses are 0.3% more in Ocean City.
 Columbia, MDOcean City, MDUnited States
 Overall  Unlock100.3100
 Food & Groceries104.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock86.8100
 Housing142.9  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$433,600$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock81.0100
 Miscellaneous151.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Columbia    28 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Lived here for a while, beautiful opportunities, pays well, overall nice  More

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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

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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

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Reviews for Ocean City    6 Reviews

Over 7 years ago

The town itself if quaint but typically coastal. In high season you will crawl from traffic light to traffic light. Maybe place to be single but don't grow old alone.  More

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Over 12 years ago

Not that bad at all. My family stays here every summer, and we have no problems. The crime rating is only a 10 because the boardwalk gets a lot of petty theft and drunk  More

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Over 12 years ago

Crime here really isnt a 10. The boardwalk gets a lot of drunk people and petty theft during the summer, and that skews the results. Ive stayed here in OC every summer  More

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