Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballerup and Bethesda, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballerup and Bethesda, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,010 in Ballerup versus $3,380 in Bethesda, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,664 in Ballerup versus $4,864 in Bethesda, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,317 in Ballerup versus $6,348 in Bethesda, MD.

Living in Ballerup costs roughly 11% less than in Bethesda, MD, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballerup 124% above, Bethesda, MD 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 DKK 164

$16.82 $16.82

51.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 DKK 815

$78.9 $78.9

60.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.68 DKK 101

$7.81 $7.81

100.77%

Cappuccino

$6.78 DKK 43.70

$5.63 $5.63

20.43%

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

$4.43 DKK 28.54

$2.44 $2.44

81.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 DKK 20.89

$2.28 $2.28

42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.36 DKK 60.3

$6.11 $6.11

53.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 DKK 49.37

$7.82 $7.82

-1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 DKK 12.82

$1.17 $1.17

70.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 DKK 20.98

$4.07 $4.07

-19.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 DKK 15.97

$3.79 $3.79

-34.56%

Eggs

$4.86 DKK 31.32

$4.35 $4.35

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 DKK 87.8

$8.78 $8.78

55.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 DKK 68.5

$10.87 $10.87

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 DKK 103

$12.62 $12.62

26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 DKK 19.51

$4.66 $4.66

-34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 DKK 20.73

$1.34 $1.34

140.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 DKK 22.80

$4.12 $4.12

-14.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 DKK 36.38

$4.14 $4.14

36.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 DKK 14.68

$2.24 $2.24

1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 DKK 11.43

$2.63 $2.63

-32.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 DKK 15.10

$2.23 $2.23

4.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 DKK 5.38

$2.01 $2.01

-58.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 DKK 65.2

$14.10 $14.10

-28.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 DKK 66.1

$17.88 $17.88

-42.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 DKK 11.56

$1.74 $1.74

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 DKK 13.23

$3.16 $3.16

-35.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.65 DKK 23.53

$3.08 $3.08

18.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 DKK 505

$98.6 $98.6

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 DKK 49.25

$5.03 $5.03

52.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 DKK 11.25

$1.33 $1.33

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 DKK 395

$34.96 $34.96

75.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 DKK 13.57

$0.88 $0.88

139.77%

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

$48.0K DKK 308.9K

$22.6K $22.6K

112.38%

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

$47.8K DKK 307.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

89.36%

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

$199 DKK 1,281

$251 $251

-20.66%

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

$17.67 DKK 114

$38.25 $38.25

-53.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 DKK 264

$83.8 $83.8

-51.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 DKK 262

$138 $138

-70.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.29 DKK 195

$29.52 $29.52

2.61%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 DKK 119

$15.06 $15.06

22.58%

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

$607 DKK 3,907

$3,209 $3,209

-81.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 DKK 38.3K

$64.1K $64.1K

-90.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 DKK 662

$70.0 $70.0

46.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 DKK 225

$57.2 $57.2

-38.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 DKK 764

$96.2 $96.2

23.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 DKK 1,274

$144 $144

37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 DKK 15.2K

$2,278 $2,278

3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 DKK 9,976

$1,873 $1,873

-17.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,119 DKK 20.1K

$4,007 $4,007

-22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 DKK 17.7K

$3,164 $3,164

-13.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,593 DKK 29.6K

$5,898 $5,898

-22.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,179 DKK 26.9K

$5,286 $5,286

-20.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,077 DKK 39.1K

$8,678 $8,678

-29.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

6.75

-35.11%

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

Last update for Ballerup: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,354 in Ballerup and $2,278 in Bethesda, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 43% 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: $127 in Ballerup vs $79.0 in Bethesda, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $368, with Ballerup cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ballerup is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bethesda, MD earns 43% less. 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: $2,354 in Ballerup versus $2,278 in Bethesda, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Ballerup versus $3,209 in Bethesda, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Bethesda, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Ballerup is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Ballerup is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bethesda, MD, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ballerup and Bethesda, MD are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ballerup gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.