diff --git a/src/search_inter.c b/src/search_inter.c
index 51c482d7..f04de916 100644
--- a/src/search_inter.c
+++ b/src/search_inter.c
@@ -100,17 +100,47 @@ static INLINE bool intmv_within_tile(const encoder_state_t *state, const vector2
 }
 
 
-static uint32_t get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(uint32_t symbol, uint32_t count)
+static uint32_t get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(uint32_t symbol)
 {
-  int32_t num_bins = 0;
-  while (symbol >= (uint32_t)(1 << count)) {
-    ++num_bins;
-    symbol -= 1 << count;
-    ++count;
-  }
-  num_bins ++;
+  unsigned bins;
 
-  return num_bins;
+  if (symbol < 2) {
+    bins = 2;
+  } else if (symbol < 6) {
+    bins = 4;
+  } else if (symbol < 14) {
+    bins = 6;
+  } else if (symbol < 30) {
+    bins = 8;
+  } else if (symbol < 62) {
+    bins = 10;
+  } else if (symbol < 126) {
+    bins = 12;
+  } else if (symbol < 254) {
+    bins = 14;
+  } else if (symbol < 510) {
+    bins = 16;
+  } else if (symbol < 1022) {
+    bins = 18;
+  } else if (symbol < 2046) {
+    bins = 20;
+  } else if (symbol < 4094) {
+    bins = 22;
+  } else if (symbol < 8190) {
+    bins = 24;
+  } else {
+    // Estimate bigger symbols with the current slope.
+    // (2 bits per 8192)
+    bins = 26 + 2 * (symbol - 8190) >> 13;
+  }
+
+  // TODO: It might be a good idea to put a small slope on this function to
+  // make sure any search function that follows the gradient heads towards
+  // a smaller MVD, but that would require fractinal costs and bits being
+  // used everywhere in inter search.
+  // return num_bins + 0.001 * symbol;
+
+  return bins;
 }
 
 
@@ -177,34 +207,28 @@ static unsigned select_starting_point(int16_t num_cand, inter_merge_cand_t *merg
 
 static uint32_t get_mvd_coding_cost(encoder_state_t * const state, vector2d_t *mvd, const cabac_data_t* cabac)
 {
-  uint32_t bitcost = 0;
-  const int32_t mvd_hor = mvd->x;
-  const int32_t mvd_ver = mvd->y;
-  const int8_t hor_abs_gr0 = mvd_hor != 0;
-  const int8_t ver_abs_gr0 = mvd_ver != 0;
-  const uint32_t mvd_hor_abs = abs(mvd_hor);
-  const uint32_t mvd_ver_abs = abs(mvd_ver);
+  double bitcost = 0;
+  const vector2d_t abs_mvd = { abs(mvd->x), abs(mvd->y) };
 
-  // Greater than 0 for x/y
-  bitcost += 2;
-
-  if (hor_abs_gr0) {
-    if (mvd_hor_abs > 1) {
-      bitcost += get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(mvd_hor_abs-2, 1) - 2; // TODO: tune the costs
+  bitcost += CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&cabac->ctx.cu_mvd_model[0], abs_mvd.x > 0);
+  if (abs_mvd.x > 0) {
+    bitcost += CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&cabac->ctx.cu_mvd_model[1], abs_mvd.x > 1);
+    if (abs_mvd.x > 1) {
+      bitcost += get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(abs_mvd.x - 2);
     }
-    // Greater than 1 + sign
-    bitcost += 2;
+    bitcost += 1; // sign
   }
 
-  if (ver_abs_gr0) {
-    if (mvd_ver_abs > 1) {
-      bitcost += get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(mvd_ver_abs-2, 1) - 2; // TODO: tune the costs
+  bitcost += CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&cabac->ctx.cu_mvd_model[0], abs_mvd.y > 0);
+  if (abs_mvd.y > 0) {
+    bitcost += CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&cabac->ctx.cu_mvd_model[1], abs_mvd.y > 1);
+    if (abs_mvd.y > 1) {
+      bitcost += get_ep_ex_golomb_bitcost(abs_mvd.y - 2);
     }
-    // Greater than 1 + sign
-    bitcost += 2;
+    bitcost += 1; // sign
   }
 
-  return bitcost;
+  return bitcost + 0.5;
 }
 
 
@@ -238,11 +262,11 @@ static int calc_mvd_cost(encoder_state_t * const state, int x, int y, int mv_shi
   if(!merged) {
     mvd_temp1.x = x - mv_cand[0][0];
     mvd_temp1.y = y - mv_cand[0][1];
-    cand1_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp1, NULL);
+    cand1_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp1, &state->cabac);
 
     mvd_temp2.x = x - mv_cand[1][0];
     mvd_temp2.y = y - mv_cand[1][1];
-    cand2_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp2, NULL);
+    cand2_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp2, &state->cabac);
 
     // Select candidate 1 if it has lower cost
     if (cand2_cost < cand1_cost) {