Moving to Baltimore

Today we look at moving to Baltimore in USA from Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates. We highlight cost of living and other major differences likely to be experienced in our series of short blogs on moving between different international locations.

In Baltimore people speak English. In Abu Dhabi people speak Arabic.
Baltimore is an independent city and the largest city and cultural center of the U.S. state of Maryland. Abu Dhabi is the capital of, and the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. Baltimore is a major U.S. seaport and is situated closer to major Midwestern markets than any other major seaport on the East Coast. Baltimore has a modern service economy providing a growing financial, business, and health service base for the southern Mid-Atlantic region. Abu Dhabi houses important offices of the federal government, and is the seat for the United Arab Emirates Government and the home for the Emirati Royal Family. Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. One of the world's largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism.

The overall cost of living rank in Baltimore is 181 out of 300 global locations, which equates it with middle cost of living locations.  An expatriate moving from Abu Dhabi to Baltimore will experience a change in cost of living of -18.8%.
In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Baltimore is ranked as a minimal hardship location with a hardship index of 10% compared to Abu Dhabi with a hardship index of 20% which is a some hardship location.

Source: Cost of Living Baltimore USA as at July 2011.