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: $2,985 in Ballerup versus $3,347 in Bethesda, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,665 in Ballerup versus $4,922 in Bethesda, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,346 in Ballerup versus $6,496 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 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.64 DKK 164

$16.26 $16.26

57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 DKK 795

$80.6 $80.6

54.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.32 DKK 97.8

$8.04 $8.04

90.55%

Cappuccino

$6.90 DKK 44.05

$5.83 $5.83

18.35%

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

$4.36 DKK 27.80

$2.43 $2.43

79.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 DKK 20.60

$2.25 $2.25

43.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 DKK 57.8

$6.15 $6.15

47.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 DKK 50.6

$8.02 $8.02

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 DKK 12.74

$1.17 $1.17

70.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 DKK 20.35

$3.90 $3.90

-18.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 DKK 16.45

$3.79 $3.79

-31.93%

Eggs

$4.86 DKK 30.98

$4.28 $4.28

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 DKK 84.8

$8.99 $8.99

47.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 DKK 67.4

$10.66 $10.66

-0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 DKK 102

$12.56 $12.56

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 DKK 19.60

$4.47 $4.47

-31.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 DKK 21.53

$1.35 $1.35

150.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 DKK 22.47

$4.18 $4.18

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 DKK 34.88

$4.15 $4.15

31.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 DKK 14.61

$2.21 $2.21

3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 DKK 11.04

$2.76 $2.76

-37.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 DKK 14.52

$2.24 $2.24

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 DKK 5.27

$2.01 $2.01

-58.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 DKK 64.1

$14.21 $14.21

-29.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 DKK 65.2

$17.85 $17.85

-42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 DKK 11.53

$1.78 $1.78

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DKK 13.23

$3.22 $3.22

-35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 DKK 23.46

$3.04 $3.04

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 DKK 494

$102 $102

-24.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 DKK 50.7

$4.97 $4.97

59.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 DKK 10.63

$1.39 $1.39

20.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.2 DKK 397

$34.70 $34.70

79.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 DKK 14.01

$0.87 $0.87

152.87%

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

$48.3K DKK 308.0K

$23.2K $23.2K

108.21%

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

$47.8K DKK 305.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

89.36%

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

$203 DKK 1,294

$248 $248

-18.20%

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

$17.66 DKK 113

$39.28 $39.28

-55.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.30 DKK 264

$82.9 $82.9

-50.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.97 DKK 268

$142 $142

-70.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.70 DKK 190

$30.54 $30.54

-2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$18.26 DKK 117

$15.11 $15.11

20.85%

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

$596 DKK 3,804

$3,114 $3,114

-80.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,924 DKK 37.8K

$65.6K $65.6K

-90.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 DKK 666

$69.3 $69.3

50.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 DKK 232

$57.1 $57.1

-36.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 DKK 755

$95.3 $95.3

24.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 DKK 1,245

$148 $148

32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 DKK 14.9K

$2,210 $2,210

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 DKK 9,738

$1,873 $1,873

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,145 DKK 20.1K

$4,089 $4,089

-23.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 DKK 17.6K

$3,170 $3,170

-12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,042 $6,042

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,385 $5,385

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,159 DKK 39.3K

$8,520 $8,520

-27.72%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,329 in Ballerup and $2,210 in Bethesda, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 38% 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 $81.0 in Bethesda, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $362 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bethesda, MD earns 38% 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: $2,329 in Ballerup versus $2,210 in Bethesda, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $596 in Ballerup versus $3,114 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.