Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spokane, WA and Bethesda, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Spokane, WA: $2,601 a month against $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA Living Index
152

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

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Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,601

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,184

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA and in Bethesda, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,601 per month in Spokane, WA vs $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Spokane, WA $2,601
Bethesda, MD $3,184

A couple spends around $3,839 per month in Spokane, WA vs $4,988 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Spokane, WA $3,839
Bethesda, MD $4,988

A family of three spends $5,076 per month in Spokane, WA vs $6,792 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Spokane, WA $5,076
Bethesda, MD $6,792

Spokane, WA is about 18% cheaper than Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Spokane, WA and Bethesda, MD sit above the global median – Spokane, WA by 91%, Bethesda, MD by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$22.45 $22.45

-12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$101 $101

-25.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$10.79 $10.79

19.00%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$5.39 $5.39

-7.05%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$2.95 $2.95

-17.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.42 $2.42

-9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$7.07 $7.07

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$8.77 $8.77

-29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.21 $1.21

-23.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$4.18 $4.18

-21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.94 $3.94

18.78%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.59 $4.59

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 $15.79

$16.66 $16.66

-5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$15.83 $15.83

-14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$23.19 $23.19

-28.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$5.70 $5.70

10.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.35 $1.35

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.21 $4.21

29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.16 $4.16

35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.23 $2.23

40.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.61 $2.61

18.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.36 $2.36

-12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.45 $2.45

-24.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.45 $9.45

27.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$18.13 $18.13

-21.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.70 $1.70

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.91 $2.91

65.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.02 $3.02

-35.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$102 $102

-40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.99 $3.99

28.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.27 $1.27

34.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.78 $39.78

$24.51 $24.51

62.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.91 $0.91

49.45%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$23.0K $23.0K

20.91%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.0K $24.0K

12.73%

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

$174 $174

$162 $162

7.70%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$38.86 $38.86

95.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$61.1 $61.1

21.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 $44.38

$106 $106

-58.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$30.35 $30.35

-51.10%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 $16.13

$16.29 $16.29

-0.98%

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

$1,403 $1,403

$1,830 $1,830

-23.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$35.4K $35.4K

-39.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

$54.3 $54.3

-3.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 $49.55

$56.2 $56.2

-11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$102 $102

13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$152 $152

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$2,260 $2,260

-28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$1,683 $1,683

-28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 $3,093

$3,962 $3,962

-21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$3,285 $3,285

-40.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,290 $3,290

$5,989 $5,989

-45.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,276 $2,276

$5,359 $5,359

-57.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$8,610 $8,610

-48.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.79

-0.44%

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

Last update for Spokane, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Spokane, WA

$1.2K 46.1%

Bethesda, MD

$1.7K 52.9% 40.3% $484

Groceries & Markets

Spokane, WA

$434 16.7%

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.5% 6.5% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Spokane, WA

$324 12.5%

Bethesda, MD

$262 8.2% 19.2% $62

Eating Out

Spokane, WA

$321 12.4%

Bethesda, MD

$351 11% 9.2% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Spokane, WA

$163 6.3%

Bethesda, MD

$164 5.1% 0.5% $0.8

Getting Around

Spokane, WA

$82 3.2%

Bethesda, MD

$124 3.9% 51% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Spokane, WA

$77 3%

Bethesda, MD

$138 4.3% 80.4% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Spokane, WA versus $2,260 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 94% higher in Bethesda, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Spokane, WA versus $101 in Bethesda, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $462 – making Spokane, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

16:13 4:13 PM

19:13 7:13 PM

3 h ahead of Spokane, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

228,989

60,858

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Spokane, WA Bethesda, MD 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Spokane, WA
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

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

Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,901 per month in Spokane, WA and $4,777 in Bethesda, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Spokane, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,625 there versus $2,260 in Bethesda, MD.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Spokane, WA 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 $2,601 in Spokane, WA and $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. That makes Spokane, WA about 18% cheaper.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Spokane, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,601, than in Bethesda, MD at $3,184. In Spokane, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethesda, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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