Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Fairfax, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Fairfax, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,366 in Ashburn, VA versus $3,338 in Fairfax, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,487 in Ashburn, VA versus $4,876 in Fairfax, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,608 in Ashburn, VA versus $6,415 in Fairfax, VA.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 1% more expensive than Fairfax, VA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashburn, VA 151% above, Fairfax, VA 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$19.76 $19.76

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$98.4 $98.4

-17.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.44 $13.44

$11.93 $11.93

12.66%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.63 $5.63

5.86%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$2.78 $2.78

2.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.28 $2.28

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 $6.60

$6.13 $6.13

7.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$8.18 $8.18

-4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.95 $0.95

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.86 $3.86

-10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$5.90 $5.90

5.59%

Eggs

$5.02 $5.02

$4.94 $4.94

1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.46 $19.46

$17.91 $17.91

8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$12.48 $12.48

-1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.04 $22.04

$16.44 $16.44

34.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$5.75 $5.75

-2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.80 $1.80

-2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$5.23 $5.23

34.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$6.47 $6.47

3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.54 $3.54

1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.73 $2.73

3.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.21 $2.21

2.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.42 $2.42

2.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$10.77 $10.77

-24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 $18.02

$13.97 $13.97

28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.69 $2.69

-34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.52 $4.52

-15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$5.11 $5.11

-56.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 $71.3

$44.15 $44.15

61.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.44 $2.44

86.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.51 $1.51

-7.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 $29.32

$22.36 $22.36

31.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.84 $0.84

5.95%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

-9.49%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-4.31%

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

$211 $211

$208 $208

1.27%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$59.8 $59.8

5.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$73.2 $73.2

-8.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 $61.7

$109 $109

-43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 $12.16

$24.80 $24.80

-50.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$15.20 $15.20

-3.03%

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

$1,697 $1,697

$1,755 $1,755

-3.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$30.3K $30.3K

-19.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 $48.09

$54.1 $54.1

-11.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 $49.14

$50.9 $50.9

-3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$97.1 $97.1

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$143 $143

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 $1,900

$2,213 $2,213

-14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$1,884 $1,884

-4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,169 $4,169

$3,712 $3,712

12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$2,952 $2,952

-23.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,002 $3,002

$5,626 $5,626

-46.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,095 $3,095

$4,136 $4,136

-25.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,437 $7,437

$5,747 $5,747

29.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.58

-0.15%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fairfax, VA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,900 in Ashburn, VA and $2,213 in Fairfax, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $98.0 in Fairfax, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $454, with Fairfax, VA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ashburn, VA vs Fairfax, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashburn, VA and Fairfax, VA differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($3,366 vs $3,338 including rent). Fairfax, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ashburn, VA pays 29% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,900 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,213 in Fairfax, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,697 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,755 in Fairfax, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Fairfax, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Fairfax, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.