Bethesda, MD Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Bethesda, MD Summary

Cost of living in Bethesda research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bethesda is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Bethesda is 192, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bethesda is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Bethesda ranks as the #185 cheapest in Maryland out of 188.

  • Bethesda ranks as the #6,284 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bethesda is $958,400.

  • The median income in Bethesda is $178,370.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
192
Bethesda's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bethesda, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bethesda has an overall cost of living index of 192, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, Bethesda has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Maryland's index of 120.

The standard of living in Bethesda ranks as #185 most affordable out of the 188 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Bethesda ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in Bethesda, check out:

185 out of 188
In Maryland
6,284 out of 6,412
In America

Bethesda Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bethesda. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Bethesda is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Bethesda is 113.

  • The Health index in Bethesda is 85.

  • The Housing index in Bethesda is 386.

  • The Transportation index in Bethesda is 113.

  • The Utilities index in Bethesda is 110.

Living Expense Bethesda Maryland National Average
Overall 192 120 100
Services 115 109 100
Groceries 113 108 100
Health 85 92 100
Housing 386 156 100
Transportation 113 100 100
Utilities 110 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:
Bethesda Cost of Living Vs. MD

Bethesda, MD Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bethesda is $958,400.

  • The Median Rent in Bethesda is $2,208.

  • The Median Income in Bethesda is $178,370.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bethesda is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bethesda is 0.15x.

Statistic Bethesda Maryland United States
Median Home Value $958,400 $338,500 $244,900
Median Rent $2,208 $1,485 $1,163
Median Income $178,370 $91,431 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.4x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Bethesda, MD
$958,400
Median Home Value
$2,208
Median Rent
$178,370
Median Income

Bethesda, MD Costs By Category

Detailed Bethesda Services Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bethesda Maryland
Shampoo $1.43 $1.06
Movie $12.5 $10.68
Bowling $21.25 $14.67
Haircut $31.92 $18.62
Beauty Salon $63.67 $39.05

Detailed Bethesda Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bethesda Maryland
Ground Beef $4.7 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.75 $1.39
Milk $2.49 $2.05
Potatoes $3.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.99 $10.62
Beer $10.99 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.74 $2.34

Detailed Bethesda Health Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bethesda Maryland
Optometrist $75.0 $108.57
Doctor $97.0 $116.17
Dentist $87.0 $99.13

Detailed Bethesda Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bethesda Maryland
Gasoline $2.44 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.0 $50.07

Detailed Bethesda Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bethesda Maryland
All Electricity $193.98 $167.67
Phone $190.63 $175.64

Bethesda SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
10
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bethesda

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bethesda. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 150, 0.8x Bethesda.

  • Clarksburg, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 0.8x Bethesda.

  • North Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 167, 0.9x Bethesda.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bethesda
Olney, MD 35,815 150 0.8x
Clarksburg, MD 27,354 153 0.8x
North Potomac, MD 24,449 167 0.9x
North Laurel, MD 24,233 129 0.7x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,509 141 0.7x
Colesville, MD 14,468 140 0.7x
Chevy Chase, MD 9,889 204 1.1x
South Kensington, MD 8,566 181 0.9x
Four Corners, MD 8,131 148 0.8x
Layhill, MD 5,119 144 0.8x

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