Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,141 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index
129

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

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Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,141

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,141 in Bethesda, MD versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Bethesda, MD $3,141
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,927 in Bethesda, MD versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Bethesda, MD $4,927
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,712 in Bethesda, MD versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Bethesda, MD $6,712
Austin, TX $5,622

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethesda, MD 132% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.20 $22.20

$20.63 $20.63

7.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$84.6 $84.6

19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$12.07 $12.07

-9.53%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.48 $5.48

2.55%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$3.80 $3.80

-20.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.47 $2.47

-3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$8.05 $8.05

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$8.88 $8.88

3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.11 $1.11

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.72 $3.72

16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.37 $3.37

11.28%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$4.32 $4.32

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$13.13 $13.13

26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$14.15 $14.15

12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.33 $16.33

40.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.55 $4.55

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.46 $1.46

-6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.71 $4.71

-14.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.15 $4.15

3.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.58 $2.58

-15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.35 $2.35

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.77 $1.77

29.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.14 $2.14

20.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 $9.66

$10.10 $10.10

-4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.84 $17.84

$15.19 $15.19

17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.82 $2.82

-37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.44 $3.44

-15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.54 $1.54

97.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 $99.1

$40.99 $40.99

141.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.80 $2.80

40.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.60 $1.60

-23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 $24.91

$34.34 $34.34

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.94 $0.94

-2.13%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

-31.67%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-10.73%

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

$167 $167

$223 $223

-25.22%

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

$38.68 $38.68

$58.9 $58.9

-34.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$70.6 $70.6

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$57.7 $57.7

81.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.93 $29.93

$16.53 $16.53

81.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 $16.04

$14.26 $14.26

12.48%

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

$1,611 $1,611

$1,511 $1,511

6.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$20.9K $20.9K

74.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$51.3 $51.3

9.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$44.17 $44.17

30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$87.0 $87.0

15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$104 $104

41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,940 $1,940

17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$1,316 $1,316

24.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,975 $3,975

$3,664 $3,664

8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 $3,209

$2,565 $2,565

25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,921 $5,921

$7,354 $7,354

-19.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,355 $5,355

$3,129 $3,129

71.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,587 $8,587

$5,286 $5,286

62.44%

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 Bethesda, MD: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bethesda, MD

$1.6K 52.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 19.6% $322

Groceries & Markets

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.7%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 12.1% $56

Eating Out

Bethesda, MD

$352 11.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 0.6% $2.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethesda, MD

$268 8.5%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 31.5% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 20.8% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 37% $51

Getting Around

Bethesda, MD

$121 3.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 52.3% $63

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,276 in Bethesda, MD and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 62% 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: $101 in Bethesda, MD vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $462 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h behind Bethesda, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,858

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Bethesda, MD
Austin, TX

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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 16% 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.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Bethesda, MD, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,276 in Bethesda, MD versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,141 per month in Bethesda, MD versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 142% 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 16% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.