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: $3,315 in Bethesda, MD versus $2,980 in Ballerup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,792 in Bethesda, MD versus $4,570 in Ballerup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,270 in Bethesda, MD versus $6,160 in Ballerup.

Living in Bethesda, MD is roughly 11% more expensive than Ballerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethesda, MD 147% above, Ballerup 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.18 $16.18

$25.35 DKK 163

-36.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$123 DKK 794

-34.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 $7.83

$15.60 DKK 100

-49.81%

Cappuccino

$5.75 $5.75

$7.12 DKK 45.76

-19.24%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$4.48 DKK 28.82

-43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.14 DKK 20.18

-25.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$9.55 DKK 61.4

-37.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

$7.97 DKK 51.3

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.05 DKK 13.20

-42.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.21 DKK 20.65

21.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.52 DKK 16.17

50.40%

Eggs

$4.41 $4.41

$4.81 DKK 30.93

-8.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$13.75 DKK 88.4

-36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$10.58 DKK 68.0

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$15.97 DKK 103

-19.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.05 DKK 19.58

48.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$3.30 DKK 21.19

-58.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.51 DKK 22.58

19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$5.60 DKK 36.03

-25.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.29 DKK 14.69

-4.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.71 DKK 11.02

53.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.22 DKK 14.29

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.78 DKK 5.00

164.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 $14.19

$10.16 DKK 65.3

39.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.77 $17.77

$10.28 DKK 66.1

72.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 DKK 11.01

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.14 DKK 13.74

46.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.79 DKK 24.35

-22.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 $98.3

$76.4 DKK 491

28.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 $5.15

$7.71 DKK 49.55

-33.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.69 DKK 10.89

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.05 $35.05

$62.1 DKK 399

-43.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.11 DKK 13.59

-60.66%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$48.2K DKK 309.9K

-52.55%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$48.1K DKK 309.5K

-46.95%

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

$245 $245

$199 DKK 1,279

23.27%

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

$39.66 $39.66

$17.83 DKK 115

122.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 $85.4

$40.98 DKK 263

108.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$42.23 DKK 271

237.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.29 $30.29

$29.46 DKK 189

2.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$18.51 DKK 119

-19.56%

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

$3,132 $3,132

$603 DKK 3,879

419.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$64.4K $64.4K

$5,823 DKK 37.4K

1005.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 $69.0

$102 DKK 657

-32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$35.83 DKK 230

59.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 $98.4

$120 DKK 772

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$199 DKK 1,277

-27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 $2,275

$2,308 DKK 14.8K

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 $1,881

$1,539 DKK 9,895

22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,061 $4,061

$3,118 DKK 20.0K

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,163 $3,163

$2,813 DKK 18.1K

12.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,091 $6,091

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,432 $5,432

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,621 $8,621

$6,048 DKK 38.9K

42.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

4.38

54.11%

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

Last update for Bethesda, MD: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ballerup: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,275 in Bethesda, MD and $2,308 in Ballerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethesda, MD pays 43% 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: $81.0 in Bethesda, MD vs $123 in Ballerup. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 vs $363, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bethesda, MD pays 43% more on average, 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: $2,275 in Bethesda, MD versus $2,308 in Ballerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,132 in Bethesda, MD versus $603 in Ballerup. 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, 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 11% less than in Bethesda, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.