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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,365 in Bethesda, MD versus $2,242 in Ballerup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,107 in Bethesda, MD versus $3,583 in Ballerup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,849 in Bethesda, MD versus $4,924 in Ballerup.

Living in Bethesda, MD is roughly 50% more expensive than in Ballerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethesda, MD 145% above, Ballerup 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$22.87 DKK 148

-12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$124 DKK 801

-17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 $11.34

$15.34 DKK 99.0

-26.08%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$7.32 DKK 47.24

-39.34%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$4.26 DKK 27.46

-34.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.51 DKK 22.66

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 $6.79

$9.59 DKK 61.8

-29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 $9.25

$7.75 DKK 49.97

19.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.13 DKK 13.74

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.08 DKK 26.30

1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.35 DKK 15.17

68.94%

Eggs

$4.73 $4.73

$4.92 DKK 31.73

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.83 $16.83

$16.05 DKK 104

4.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 $16.01

$11.68 DKK 75.4

37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.73 $22.73

$18.87 DKK 122

20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.33 DKK 21.49

45.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$3.35 DKK 21.64

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.92 DKK 25.26

5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$5.28 DKK 34.05

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.31 DKK 14.93

-7.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.09 DKK 13.49

31.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.19 DKK 14.13

25.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.46 DKK 9.40

73.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.86 $14.86

$9.99 DKK 64.5

48.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.11 $18.11

$10.54 DKK 68.0

71.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.79 DKK 11.53

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.43 DKK 15.71

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.12 DKK 26.59

-28.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 $98.1

$93.1 DKK 601

5.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.20 DKK 40.02

-34.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.73 DKK 11.15

75.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.47 $35.47

$63.8 DKK 412

-44.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.59 DKK 16.68

-63.71%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$52.1K DKK 336.2K

-56.40%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$54.9K DKK 354.0K

-54.61%

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

$215 $215

$195 DKK 1,259

9.99%

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

$39.35 $39.35

$12.33 DKK 79.6

219.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 $76.8

$39.44 DKK 254

94.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 $104

$42.52 DKK 274

145.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 $30.14

$25.48 DKK 164

18.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.53 $15.53

$20.71 DKK 134

-25.01%

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

$3,233 $3,233

$754 DKK 4,868

328.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$65.2K $65.2K

$6,243 DKK 40.3K

944.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$111 DKK 713

-36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 $56.0

$49.58 DKK 320

12.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 $132

$136 DKK 875

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$201 DKK 1,298

-31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 $2,293

$954 DKK 6,153

140.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 $1,892

$779 DKK 5,025

142.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,089 $4,089

$1,662 DKK 10.7K

146.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,228 $3,228

$1,315 DKK 8,487

145.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,020 $6,020

$5,544 DKK 35.8K

8.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,458 $5,458

$3,527 DKK 22.8K

54.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,749 $8,749

$6,194 DKK 40.0K

41.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

3.7

70.27%

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

Last update for Bethesda, MD: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ballerup: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,293 in Bethesda, MD and $954 in Ballerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 41% 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: $103 in Bethesda, MD vs $124 in Ballerup. Groceries flip the comparison at $461 vs $405, 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

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

Ballerup is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $2,293 in Bethesda, MD versus $954 in Ballerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,233 in Bethesda, MD versus $754 in Ballerup. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bethesda, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,242 in Ballerup versus $3,365 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, Bethesda, MD and Ballerup 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 50% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.