I've been in the Bethesda area (living and working) for almost two years. I think the area is wonderful and offers a lot. However, I moved down to Virginia last year because of high Bethesda rents and Maryland taxes. My thoughts are based around renting, not owning a home. Here are some things to keep in mind:
First - read this
article. It clearly points out that if you live in Montgomery County, MD (includes Bethesda), you'll have the highest taxes (based on $75,000 per year).
Next - go to
Paycheckcity and type in your salary. Make sure that you include the Maryland "County Tax %". Montgomery County is 3.2%.
You can then compare your payout to Virginia and D.C.
- My utilities in Virginia are half of what they were in Maryland. Dominion Virginia is much cheaper than Pepco.
- My Comcast bill is $40 cheaper than Maryland (not a promotional rate either).
- I don't pay for parking in Virginia (I paid $85 in Bethesda).
I still find that even with Virginia's Property Tax on cars, it is still cheaper to live in Virginia than Maryland or D.C. If your car is valued $20,000 or below, the property tax isn't that bad. If this is a concern, here's how to calculate the tax: Current Value X .045 X .69 = Property Tax Owed
(Link). You'll also need a County Sticker - depending on what County you reside in.
Look at my other posts. I've listed apartments/condos in Bethesda. From there, you can see the rents. Most studios/1 Bedrooms in Bethesda start at $1,600 per month.