Overall
Delaware feels cheaper overall
Delaware has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Maryland by 18.5 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Delaware vs Maryland: Cost of Living
Delaware is cheaper overall by 18.5 cost-of-living points, but Delaware has lower median home values.
103.2
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Maryland
MD • South
121.7
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Delaware
103.2
Maryland
121.7
Difference: 18.5 points — Delaware leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
Delaware
#30 · 103.2
Maryland
#44 · 121.7
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#30
Delaware
103.2
Delaware
#44
Maryland
121.7
Maryland
Delaware ranks 30th and Maryland ranks 44th nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.3x more for a home
Delaware has the lower median home value, while buying in Maryland costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Delaware puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Delaware than in Maryland, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Maryland keeps more income after state tax
Maryland has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Delaware
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
103.2
Regional price parity
100.9
Regular gas price
$3.914/gal
Electricity price
16.51 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,222/mo
Median home value
$296,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
6.60%
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
0.50%
Income
Median household income
$79,325
Income after median rent
$5,388
Minimum wage
$13.25/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Maryland
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
121.7
Regional price parity
107.7
Regular gas price
$4.088/gal
Electricity price
20.61 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,685/mo
Median home value
$375,600
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.75%
State sales tax
6.00%
Property tax
0.97%
Income
Median household income
$98,461
Income after median rent
$6,520
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Delaware has lower median home values.
- Delaware has the lower overall cost index.
- Maryland has the higher median household income.
- Delaware looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Delaware vs Maryland: Cost of Living in context
Delaware has a cost of living of 103.2, compared with 121.7 in Maryland. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Delaware
103.2
Maryland
121.7
Difference
18.5 points
People Also Ask
Delaware vs Maryland Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Delaware's cost of living?
Delaware's cost of living is 103.2.
Q What is Maryland's cost of living?
Maryland's cost of living is 121.7.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Delaware or Maryland?
Delaware is cheaper overall by 18.5 cost-of-living points, but Delaware has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Delaware vs Maryland
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.