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: $2,252 in Ballerup versus $3,359 in Bethesda, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,573 in Ballerup versus $4,991 in Bethesda, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,894 in Ballerup versus $6,622 in Bethesda, MD.

Living in Ballerup costs roughly 33% less than in Bethesda, MD, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballerup 65% above, Bethesda, MD 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 DKK 153

$20.40 $20.40

14.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 DKK 814

$101 $101

23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.36 DKK 100

$10.93 $10.93

40.53%

Cappuccino

$7.10 DKK 46.28

$5.63 $5.63

26.11%

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

$4.35 DKK 28.37

$3.07 $3.07

41.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 DKK 23.63

$2.53 $2.53

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.53 DKK 62.2

$7.13 $7.13

33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.68 DKK 50.1

$8.78 $8.78

-12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 DKK 13.29

$1.17 $1.17

74.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 DKK 26.31

$4.15 $4.15

-2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 DKK 15.48

$3.79 $3.79

-37.47%

Eggs

$4.92 DKK 32.06

$4.56 $4.56

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 DKK 103

$17.18 $17.18

-7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 DKK 77.4

$15.44 $15.44

-23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 DKK 121

$22.93 $22.93

-19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 DKK 22.01

$4.64 $4.64

-27.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.31 DKK 21.57

$1.40 $1.40

136.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 DKK 25.15

$4.19 $4.19

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 DKK 35.01

$4.16 $4.16

29.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 DKK 15.53

$2.24 $2.24

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 DKK 14.15

$2.76 $2.76

-21.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 DKK 14.31

$2.29 $2.29

-3.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 DKK 8.98

$2.56 $2.56

-46.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 DKK 64.9

$10.50 $10.50

-5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 DKK 69.1

$18.03 $18.03

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 DKK 11.61

$1.72 $1.72

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 DKK 16.40

$2.95 $2.95

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 DKK 23.46

$2.97 $2.97

21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 DKK 692

$98.4 $98.4

7.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 DKK 38.45

$4.07 $4.07

44.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 DKK 11.40

$1.22 $1.22

43.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.9 DKK 410

$24.81 $24.81

153.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.53 DKK 16.50

$0.93 $0.93

172.04%

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

$52.7K DKK 343.4K

$22.8K $22.8K

131.45%

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

$54.9K DKK 358.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

119.78%

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

$192 DKK 1,253

$166 $166

15.90%

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

$12.40 DKK 80.8

$38.47 $38.47

-67.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.80 DKK 253

$62.4 $62.4

-37.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 DKK 271

$103 $103

-59.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.76 DKK 161

$30.47 $30.47

-18.74%

Cinema Ticket

$20.60 DKK 134

$15.91 $15.91

29.48%

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

$754 DKK 4,914

$1,594 $1,594

-52.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,147 DKK 40.1K

$36.1K $36.1K

-82.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 DKK 713

$68.7 $68.7

59.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.99 DKK 313

$57.0 $57.0

-15.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 DKK 881

$101 $101

33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 DKK 1,259

$148 $148

30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 DKK 6,091

$2,323 $2,323

-59.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 DKK 5,038

$1,897 $1,897

-59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 DKK 11.0K

$3,998 $3,998

-57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 DKK 8,647

$3,167 $3,167

-58.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,567 DKK 29.8K

$6,042 $6,042

-24.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 DKK 22.4K

$5,278 $5,278

-34.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,008 DKK 39.2K

$8,807 $8,807

-31.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.67

6.27

-41.47%

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

Last update for Ballerup: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $935 in Ballerup and $2,323 in Bethesda, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 47% 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: $125 in Ballerup vs $101 in Bethesda, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $456, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 47% 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: $935 in Ballerup versus $2,323 in Bethesda, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $754 in Ballerup versus $1,594 in Bethesda, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Bethesda, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,252 in Ballerup versus $3,359 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 49% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.