Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Rockville, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Rockville, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,152 in Denver, CO versus $3,025 in Rockville, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,688 in Denver, CO versus $4,726 in Rockville, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Denver, CO versus $6,427 in Rockville, MD.

Living in Denver, CO is roughly 4% more expensive than Rockville, MD, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 135% above, Rockville, MD 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 $20.15

$21.03 $21.03

-4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 $86.4

$80.3 $80.3

7.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$10.40 $10.40

16.15%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.47 $5.47

-3.11%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.49 $2.49

19.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.12 $2.12

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 $7.22

$6.45 $6.45

11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.46 $7.46

8.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.24 $1.24

-16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.83 $3.83

7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$4.46 $4.46

27.80%

Eggs

$5.55 $5.55

$4.13 $4.13

34.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$13.49 $13.49

5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$14.74 $14.74

-9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.08 $17.08

$16.20 $16.20

5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$6.71 $6.71

-16.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.60 $1.60

19.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.43 $6.43

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.85 $2.85

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.81 $2.81

-7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.79 $1.79

12.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.63 $2.63

-16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$11.81 $11.81

-11.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 $19.94

$14.72 $14.72

35.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.27 $2.27

5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.58 $3.58

4.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.60 $2.60

9.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 $86.3

$138 $138

-37.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.92 $2.92

18.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.34 $1.34

28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.63 $23.63

$24.41 $24.41

-3.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.84 $0.84

5.95%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-0.49%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

8.51%

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

$176 $176

$172 $172

2.10%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$46.41 $46.41

54.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$71.2 $71.2

-5.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$42.24 $42.24

50.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.21 $38.21

$12.55 $12.55

204.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$15.10 $15.10

1.19%

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

$1,561 $1,561

$1,750 $1,750

-10.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$33.0K $33.0K

-50.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$51.1 $51.1

17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 $46.46

$52.7 $52.7

-11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 $96.9

$93.7 $93.7

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$118 $118

-0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 $2,165

$2,067 $2,067

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$1,580 $1,580

9.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,567 $3,567

$3,831 $3,831

-6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,955 $2,955

$3,156 $3,156

-6.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,626 $5,626

$4,247 $4,247

32.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,773 $3,773

$2,412 $2,412

56.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,401 $4,401

$6,333 $6,333

-30.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.55

-2.75%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rockville, MD: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,165 in Denver, CO and $2,067 in Rockville, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockville, MD pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Denver, CO vs $80.0 in Rockville, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $444 per month, with Rockville, MD cheaper across the board.

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

Denver, CO vs Rockville, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rockville, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Denver, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rockville, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Rockville, MD earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,165 in Denver, CO versus $2,067 in Rockville, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Denver, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rockville, MD – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $86.0 in Denver, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Rockville, MD is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rockville, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,025 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rockville, MD hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denver, CO and Rockville, MD 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 Rockville, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Denver, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.