2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Grand Rapids, MI vs Columbia, MD

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Columbia or is it cheaper to live in Grand Rapids?
- Columbia is 35.3% more expensive than Grand Rapids.

Which city has more affordable housing, Columbia or Grand Rapids?
- Columbia housing costs are 82.7% more expensive than Grand Rapids housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Grand Rapids or is Health Care more affordable in Columbia.
- Health related expenses are 6.5% more in Columbia.
 Grand Rapids, MIColumbia, MDUnited States
 Overall  Unlock127.9100
 Food & Groceries95.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock86.5100
 Housing78.2  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$441,800$338,100
 Utilities100  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock107.9100
 Miscellaneous100.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Grand Rapids    62 Reviews

I've lived in Grand Rapids about 85% of my life and can confidently say it is a great place to live for anyone. I know countless people who dogged the city, moved  More

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Grand Rapids proper - the small city - is fairly OK. Nothing special stands out about it when judged against the nicer areas of the US, but it has some decent dining and  More

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Wow. “bland Rapids and everyone is Smug, uptight and part of the Christian Reformed Church. “ Someone is accurately describing Grand Rapids in 1985. Much has changed  More

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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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