Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

145

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
153

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

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Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,980

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,141

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$22.20 $22.20

-10.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$101 $101

-15.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 $12.79

$10.92 $10.92

17.12%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.62 $5.62

-1.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.03 $3.03

-12.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.39 $2.39

-7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$6.86 $6.86

-10.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$9.19 $9.19

-22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.15 $1.15

-14.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.35 $4.35

-23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.75 $3.75

13.33%

Eggs

$6.19 $6.19

$4.50 $4.50

37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$16.64 $16.64

-10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$15.90 $15.90

-16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$22.88 $22.88

-14.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.58 $5.58

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.04 $4.04

7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.31 $4.31

6.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.17 $2.17

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.66 $2.66

-2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.29 $2.29

4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.57 $2.57

-24.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$9.66 $9.66

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 $19.27

$17.84 $17.84

8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.75 $1.75

89.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.91 $2.91

61.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$3.04 $3.04

-42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 $63.8

$99.1 $99.1

-35.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.94 $3.94

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.22 $1.22

16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.07 $25.07

$24.91 $24.91

0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.92 $0.92

10.87%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$23.2K $23.2K

20.41%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.9K $23.9K

12.23%

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

$201 $201

$167 $167

21.00%

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

$96.1 $96.1

$38.68 $38.68

148.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 $100

$62.6 $62.6

60.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 $57.5

$105 $105

-45.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.26 $33.26

$29.93 $29.93

11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$16.04 $16.04

-8.17%

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

$1,473 $1,473

$1,611 $1,611

-8.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$36.6K $36.6K

-33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$56.3 $56.3

5.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.73 $34.73

$57.8 $57.8

-39.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$101 $101

-19.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$148 $148

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 $1,719

$2,276 $2,276

-24.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 $1,520

$1,638 $1,638

-7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 $2,728

$3,975 $3,975

-31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 $2,370

$3,209 $3,209

-26.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,598 $2,598

$5,921 $5,921

-56.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,420 $2,420

$5,355 $5,355

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,333 $4,333

$8,587 $8,587

-49.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.79

-1.03%

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

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

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.5K 51%

Bethesda, MD

$1.6K 52.1% 7.8% $118

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$441 14.8%

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.7% 4.8% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 13.4%

Bethesda, MD

$268 8.5% 32.7% $130

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$328 11%

Bethesda, MD

$352 11.2% 7.5% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$125 4.2%

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2% 30.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$87 2.9%

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.4% 57.3% $50

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$82 2.7%

Bethesda, MD

$121 3.9% 48.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,719 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,276 in Bethesda, MD. 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 $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $101 in Bethesda, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $441 vs $462 – making Colorado Springs, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

06:37 6:37 AM

08:37 8:37 AM

2 h ahead of Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

60,858

💱 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

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

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
Bethesda, MD

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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Bethesda, MD: 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 $4,469 per month in Colorado Springs, CO and $4,711 in Bethesda, MD. 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 $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO and $101 in Bethesda, MD. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO and $3,141 in Bethesda, MD. 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.