Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Philadelphia, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Philadelphia, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,321 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,912 in Philadelphia, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,445 in Ashburn, VA versus $4,380 in Philadelphia, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Ashburn, VA versus $5,848 in Philadelphia, PA.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 14% more expensive than in Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashburn, VA 149% above, Philadelphia, PA 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$19.68 $19.68

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$90.9 $90.9

-13.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$12.22 $12.22

7.45%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.92 $4.92

16.06%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.71 $2.71

2.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.99 $1.99

27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.83 $5.83

12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.90 $6.90

17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.37 $1.37

-21.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$4.29 $4.29

-14.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$10.10 $10.10

-40.20%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$4.47 $4.47

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$14.96 $14.96

26.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$14.00 $14.00

-9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 $21.99

$21.15 $21.15

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$6.20 $6.20

-8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.24 $2.24

-20.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$5.25 $5.25

36.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$5.45 $5.45

17.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.33 $3.33

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.93 $2.93

-5.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.00 $3.00

-26.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.43 $2.43

1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$12.91 $12.91

-37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 $17.69

$14.78 $14.78

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.01 $2.01

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.22 $4.22

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.45 $2.45

-8.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$97.5 $97.5

-25.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.98 $2.98

47.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.54 $1.54

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$21.99 $21.99

34.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.88 $0.88

-7.95%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.4K $27.4K

-3.01%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-3.91%

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

$207 $207

$268 $268

-22.80%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$63.1 $63.1

-1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$75.6 $75.6

-10.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 $61.9

$49.62 $49.62

24.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 $12.15

$32.80 $32.80

-62.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$15.22 $15.22

-2.83%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$2,104 $2,104

-18.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$42.7K $42.7K

-43.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.98 $46.98

$50.3 $50.3

-6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 $47.73

$41.58 $41.58

14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$93.5 $93.5

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$145 $145

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$1,744 $1,744

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$1,372 $1,372

32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,101 $4,101

$3,098 $3,098

32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$2,297 $2,297

-3.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 $2,952

$4,065 $4,065

-27.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$1,875 $1,875

69.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,682 $7,682

$4,600 $4,600

67.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.68

-1.65%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,946 in Ashburn, VA and $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 67% 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: $79.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $91.0 in Philadelphia, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $491 per month, with Ashburn, VA cheaper across the board.

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 Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashburn, VA and Philadelphia, PA differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($3,321 vs $2,912 including rent). Philadelphia, PA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Ashburn, VA, 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: $1,946 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,719 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,104 in Philadelphia, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ashburn, VA pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Philadelphia, PA 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 Philadelphia, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.