Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethesda, MD and Colorado Springs, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO: $2,980 a month against $3,141 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index

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Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,141

/mo nomad

Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,980

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bethesda, MD and in Colorado Springs, CO

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 Colorado Springs, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,141 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $3,141
Colorado Springs, CO $2,980

A couple spends around $4,927 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $4,295 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $4,927
Colorado Springs, CO $4,295

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $5,610 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $6,712
Colorado Springs, CO $5,610

Bethesda, MD costs about 5% more than Colorado Springs, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Bethesda, MD and Colorado Springs, CO sit above the global median – Bethesda, MD by 132%, Colorado Springs, CO by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.20 $22.20

$19.78 $19.78

12.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$85.6 $85.6

17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$12.79 $12.79

-14.62%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.55 $5.55

1.26%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$2.64 $2.64

14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.20 $2.20

8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$6.15 $6.15

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$7.14 $7.14

28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.98 $0.98

17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.32 $3.32

31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.25 $4.25

-11.76%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$6.19 $6.19

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$14.93 $14.93

11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$13.34 $13.34

19.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.49 $19.49

17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.60 $5.60

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.33 $4.33

-6.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.58 $4.58

-5.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.39 $2.39

-9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.60 $2.60

2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.40 $2.40

-4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.93 $1.93

33.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 $9.66

$10.17 $10.17

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.84 $17.84

$19.27 $19.27

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.31 $3.31

-47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.69 $4.69

-37.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.76 $1.76

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 $99.1

$63.8 $63.8

55.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.73 $3.73

5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.42 $1.42

-14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 $24.91

$25.07 $25.07

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.02 $1.02

-9.80%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$28.0K $28.0K

-16.95%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-10.90%

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

$167 $167

$201 $201

-17.35%

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

$38.68 $38.68

$96.1 $96.1

-59.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$100 $100

-37.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$57.5 $57.5

82.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.93 $29.93

$33.26 $33.26

-10.01%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 $16.04

$14.73 $14.73

8.89%

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

$1,611 $1,611

$1,473 $1,473

9.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$24.4K $24.4K

49.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$59.4 $59.4

-5.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$34.73 $34.73

66.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$80.8 $80.8

24.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$103 $103

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,719 $1,719

32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$1,520 $1,520

7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,975 $3,975

$2,728 $2,728

45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 $3,209

$2,370 $2,370

35.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,921 $5,921

$2,598 $2,598

127.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,355 $5,355

$2,420 $2,420

121.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,587 $8,587

$4,333 $4,333

98.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.72

1.04%

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

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 18, 2026

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bethesda, MD

$1.6K 52.1%

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.5K 51% 7.2% $118

Groceries & Markets

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.7%

Colorado Springs, CO

$441 14.8% 4.6% $21

Eating Out

Bethesda, MD

$352 11.2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$328 11% 7% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethesda, MD

$268 8.5%

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 13.4% 48.6% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$125 4.2% 23.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.4%

Colorado Springs, CO

$87 2.9% 36.4% $50

Getting Around

Bethesda, MD

$121 3.9%

Colorado Springs, CO

$82 2.7% 32.7% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,276 in Bethesda, MD versus $1,719 in Colorado Springs, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 98% higher in Bethesda, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bethesda, MD versus $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $441 – making Colorado Springs, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🕒 Local time

06:53 6:53 AM

04:53 4:53 AM

2 h behind Bethesda, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,858

478,961

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bethesda, MD Colorado Springs, CO 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bethesda, MD
Colorado Springs, CO

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 Colorado Springs, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,711 per month in Bethesda, MD and $4,469 in Colorado Springs, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bethesda, MD and $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,141 in Bethesda, MD and $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO. That's a gap of about 5%.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,141 in Bethesda, MD and $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Colorado Springs, CO – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Colorado Springs, CO. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethesda, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.