Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bethesda, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,165 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
154

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,165

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bethesda, MD

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Bethesda, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,165 in Bethesda, MD.

Austin, TX $2,663
Bethesda, MD $3,165

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $4,971 in Bethesda, MD.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bethesda, MD $4,971

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $6,778 in Bethesda, MD.

Austin, TX $5,603
Bethesda, MD $6,778

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 16% less than in Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bethesda, MD 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$22.08 $22.08

-5.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$98.9 $98.9

-14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.91 $10.91

12.92%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.38 $5.38

4.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.04 $3.04

22.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.48 $2.48

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.08 $7.08

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$9.12 $9.12

-1.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.16 $1.16

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.14 $4.14

-9.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.90 $3.90

-16.41%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.67 $4.67

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$16.60 $16.60

-22.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$15.51 $15.51

-8.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$22.46 $22.46

-27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.45 $5.45

-20.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.36 $1.36

7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.05 $4.05

11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.26 $4.26

1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.22 $2.22

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.65 $2.65

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.39 $2.39

-25.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.53 $2.53

-12.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.53 $10.53

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$18.01 $18.01

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.71 $1.71

70.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.83 $2.83

22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.06 $3.06

-51.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$101 $101

-58.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.11 $4.11

-33.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.21 $1.21

37.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$24.70 $24.70

42.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.93 $0.93

2.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K $36.0K

$23.1K $23.1K

55.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.2K $24.2K

11.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$163 $163

40.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$39.56 $39.56

50.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.6 $62.6

11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$104 $104

-45.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$30.41 $30.41

-46.30%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$16.16 $16.16

-11.63%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

$1,606 $1,606

-6.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$54.8 $54.8

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$57.3 $57.3

-23.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$102 $102

-16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$149 $149

-30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,340 $2,340

-18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,669 $1,669

-23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,118 $4,118

-11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$3,299 $3,299

-23.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,862 $5,862

29.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,456 $5,456

-42.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$8,749 $8,749

-41.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Bethesda, MD

$1.7K 52.7% 31% $395

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Bethesda, MD

$457 14.4% 12.9% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Bethesda, MD

$265 8.4% 25.9% $93

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Bethesda, MD

$350 11.1% 1.2% $4.1

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2% 27.6% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.3% 59.3% $51

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Bethesda, MD

$124 3.9% 111% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,340 in Bethesda, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $99.0 in Bethesda, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $457 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

00:34 12:34 AM

01:34 1:34 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

60,858

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Bethesda, MD 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bethesda, MD

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Bethesda, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Bethesda, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Bethesda, MD. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,340 in Bethesda, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,165 in Bethesda, MD – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 143% less than in Bethesda, MD. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.