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: $2,964 in Ballerup versus $3,347 in Bethesda, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,578 in Ballerup versus $4,903 in Bethesda, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,191 in Ballerup versus $6,459 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 123% above, Bethesda, MD 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.77 DKK 167

$16.52 $16.52

55.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 DKK 818

$79.1 $79.1

59.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.24 DKK 98.7

$7.87 $7.87

93.65%

Cappuccino

$6.89 DKK 44.63

$5.64 $5.64

22.16%

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

$4.42 DKK 28.59

$2.53 $2.53

74.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 DKK 20.09

$2.35 $2.35

31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.13 DKK 59.1

$6.09 $6.09

49.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.74 DKK 50.1

$8.07 $8.07

-4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 DKK 13.37

$1.18 $1.18

75.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 DKK 20.58

$4.01 $4.01

-20.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 DKK 16.66

$3.83 $3.83

-32.90%

Eggs

$5.00 DKK 32.39

$4.24 $4.24

17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 DKK 86.5

$8.64 $8.64

54.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 DKK 70.6

$10.60 $10.60

2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.16 DKK 105

$12.59 $12.59

28.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 DKK 19.73

$4.68 $4.68

-34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 DKK 21.55

$1.42 $1.42

134.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 DKK 23.01

$4.20 $4.20

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 DKK 35.31

$4.08 $4.08

33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 DKK 14.88

$2.24 $2.24

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 DKK 11.61

$2.63 $2.63

-31.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 DKK 14.53

$2.26 $2.26

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 DKK 5.18

$1.99 $1.99

-59.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 DKK 65.9

$14.27 $14.27

-28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 DKK 65.9

$17.77 $17.77

-42.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 DKK 11.32

$1.71 $1.71

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 DKK 13.76

$3.18 $3.18

-33.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.62 DKK 23.41

$3.09 $3.09

17.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 DKK 506

$99.1 $99.1

-21.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 DKK 49.45

$4.89 $4.89

56.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 DKK 10.77

$1.35 $1.35

22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 DKK 397

$35.52 $35.52

72.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 DKK 14.10

$0.81 $0.81

169.14%

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

$49.6K DKK 321.2K

$22.7K $22.7K

118.53%

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

$48.3K DKK 312.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

92.87%

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

$198 DKK 1,282

$253 $253

-21.91%

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

$17.29 DKK 112

$38.32 $38.32

-54.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.13 DKK 266

$82.6 $82.6

-50.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 DKK 271

$141 $141

-70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 DKK 195

$30.22 $30.22

-0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$18.57 DKK 120

$14.86 $14.86

24.97%

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

$600 DKK 3,888

$3,216 $3,216

-81.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,755 DKK 37.3K

$64.7K $64.7K

-91.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 DKK 668

$70.7 $70.7

46.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 DKK 233

$57.2 $57.2

-36.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 DKK 792

$97.4 $97.4

25.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 DKK 1,263

$144 $144

35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 DKK 6,024

$2,255 $2,255

-58.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 DKK 9,958

$1,872 $1,872

-17.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,061 DKK 19.8K

$3,993 $3,993

-23.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,788 DKK 18.1K

$3,144 $3,144

-11.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,486 DKK 29.0K

$5,967 $5,967

-24.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,069 DKK 19.9K

$5,343 $5,343

-42.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,868 DKK 38.0K

$8,584 $8,584

-31.65%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Ballerup and $2,255 in Bethesda, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 46% 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: $126 in Ballerup vs $79.0 in Bethesda, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $365, 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $930 in Ballerup versus $2,255 in Bethesda, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $600 in Ballerup versus $3,216 in Bethesda, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Bethesda, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,964 in Ballerup versus $3,347 in Bethesda, MD, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ballerup but tight or insufficient in Bethesda, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Ballerup the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 13% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.