$70k in Baltimore is not $70k in DC: rent-wise, a nice 1-2BR apartment or even 2-3BR townhouse in Reston is roughly equal to just a studio in DC – and maybe not in the greatest neighborhood. And then there’s the parking issue, unless she relies on Metro/buses (which are iffy for getting out to Reston). It’s not out of the question, but living downtown on that salary isn’t as simple as you’d think.