Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, CA and Norfolk, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,428 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
Learn more

Auburn, CA Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
Learn more

Norfolk, VA Living Index

Jump to prices

Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, CA and in Norfolk, VA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, CA and in Norfolk, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Auburn, CA vs $2,428 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $3,212
Norfolk, VA $2,428

A couple spends around $4,620 per month in Auburn, CA vs $3,629 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $4,620
Norfolk, VA $3,629

A family of three spends $6,027 per month in Auburn, CA vs $4,829 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $6,027
Norfolk, VA $4,829

Auburn, CA costs about 32% more than Norfolk, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Auburn, CA and Norfolk, VA sit above the global median – Auburn, CA by 138%, Norfolk, VA by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$18.58 $18.58

35.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.7 $90.7

$91.0 $91.0

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$11.54 $11.54

3.29%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$5.90 $5.90

-16.78%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.80 $2.80

-9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.08 $2.08

13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$6.16 $6.16

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.09 $7.09

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.99 $0.99

24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.95 $3.95

14.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.50 $5.50

49.27%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$4.76 $4.76

-33.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.79 $25.79

$15.65 $15.65

64.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$9.74 $9.74

90.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$17.97 $17.97

27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$4.84 $4.84

59.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.25 $1.25

36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$4.96 $4.96

71.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$5.70 $5.70

18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.24 $2.24

127.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.61 $3.61

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.87 $1.87

8.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.13 $2.13

6.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$9.25 $9.25

26.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.29 $15.29

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.79 $1.79

-18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.74 $2.74

-26.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.97 $1.97

72.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 $88.2

$104 $104

-14.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.66 $4.66

-30.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.34 $1.34

81.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.49 $40.49

$18.09 $18.09

123.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.99 $0.99

23.23%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$35.1K $35.1K

-6.51%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.5K $25.5K

-4.06%

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

$189 $189

$213 $213

-11.40%

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

$49.79 $49.79

$56.2 $56.2

-11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$67.0 $67.0

-0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 $64.4

$40.15 $40.15

60.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$11.77 $11.77

28.29%

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

$2,686 $2,686

$1,480 $1,480

81.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,939 $5,939

$15.9K $15.9K

-62.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 $68.7

$54.1 $54.1

26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.74 $46.74

$48.10 $48.10

-2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$92.3 $92.3

19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 $199

$121 $121

64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,233 $1,233

47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$1,032 $1,032

54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 $2,784

$2,158 $2,158

29.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$1,684 $1,684

39.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 $3,277

$2,458 $2,458

33.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,675 $2,675

$2,304 $2,304

16.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,926 $3,926

$3,423 $3,423

14.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.57

3.04%

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

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5%

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5% 35.1% $559

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4%

Norfolk, VA

$412 17% 26.1% $146

Eating Out

Auburn, CA

$355 11%

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1% 10.2% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5%

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9% 10.1% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, CA

$191 6%

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8% 25.8% $49

Getting Around

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7%

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1% 4.9% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, CA

$95 3%

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6% 32.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,823 in Auburn, CA versus $1,233 in Norfolk, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Auburn, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Auburn, CA versus $91.0 in Norfolk, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $558 in Auburn, CA vs $412 in Norfolk, VA – so Norfolk, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

16:30 4:30 PM

3 h ahead of Auburn, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

242,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Auburn, CA Norfolk, VA 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, CA
Norfolk, VA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Auburn, CA vs Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Auburn, CA, $2,428 in Norfolk, VA – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Auburn, CA and $3,642 in Norfolk, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Norfolk, VA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,686 per month in Auburn, CA and $1,480 in Norfolk, VA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Norfolk, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,428, than in Auburn, CA at $3,212. In Norfolk, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Norfolk, VA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Norfolk, VA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.