2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Bethesda, MD vs Menlo Park, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Menlo Park or is it cheaper to live in Bethesda?
- Menlo Park is 80.5% more expensive than Bethesda.

Which city has more affordable housing, Menlo Park or Bethesda?
- Menlo Park housing costs are 143.9% more expensive than Bethesda housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Bethesda or is Health Care more affordable in Menlo Park.
- Health related expenses are 35.3% more in Menlo Park.
 Bethesda, MDMenlo Park, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock250.0100
 Food & Groceries118.3  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock117.4100
 Housing360.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$2,476,200$338,100
 Utilities109  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock138.3100
 Miscellaneous146.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?

In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.

Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate

Upgrade to Premium | See Example

Reviews for Bethesda    12 Reviews

Bethesda is awesome if you want to live near DC and in a relatively safe city that has few parking issues. Montgomery county has parking lots in downtown Bethesda and  More

   |    Reply

Amenities are plentiful, but costs continue to rise as do local and state taxes. Overall not a friendly place to  More

   |    Reply

Essentially an upscale suburb of Washington DC. Public transport is easy, there's plenty to do (though with none of the edginess of living closer in DC) and it's minutes  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Bethesda

Reviews for Menlo Park    5 Reviews

Over 10 years ago

Cost of living is beyond absurdly  More

   |    Reply

Very nice. Good connection to San Francisco or San Jose or any city in between via Caltrain or bus. Weather can't be  More

   |    Reply

My 14mo daughter, wife and I live in Menlo Park, CA which is approximately half way between San Francisco and San Jose. To afford an upper middle class quality of life  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Menlo Park


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.