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

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Columbia or is it cheaper to live in Ocean City?
- Columbia is 27.5% more expensive than Ocean City.

Which city has more affordable housing, Columbia or Ocean City?
- Columbia housing costs are 20.0% more expensive than Ocean City housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Ocean City or is Health Care more affordable in Columbia.
- Health related expenses are 0.3% less in Columbia.
 Ocean City, MDColumbia, MDUnited States
 Overall  Unlock127.9100
 Food & Groceries107.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock86.5100
 Housing119.1  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$441,800$338,100
 Utilities105  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock107.9100
 Miscellaneous104.3  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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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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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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