Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, DE and Springfield, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, DE: $2,593 a month against $2,924 in Springfield, VA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Springfield, VA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Dover, DE
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Dover, DE Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, VA
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Springfield, VA Living Index

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Dover, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,593

/mo nomad

Springfield, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dover, DE and in Springfield, VA

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

A single person spends $2,593 per month in Dover, DE vs $2,924 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Dover, DE $2,593
Springfield, VA $2,924

A couple spends around $3,781 per month in Dover, DE vs $4,643 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Dover, DE $3,781
Springfield, VA $4,643

A family of three spends $4,970 per month in Dover, DE vs $6,361 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Dover, DE $4,970
Springfield, VA $6,361

Dover, DE is about 11% cheaper than Springfield, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dover, DE and Springfield, VA sit above the global median – Dover, DE by 91%, Springfield, VA by 115%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$18.10 $18.10

-27.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$94.5 $94.5

-36.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 $10.58

$10.79 $10.79

-1.95%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.25 $5.25

-6.10%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$3.14 $3.14

-26.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.63 $2.63

-15.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.21 $7.21

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.05 $8.05

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.16 $1.16

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.98 $3.98

-29.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.20 $4.20

-36.67%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.88 $4.88

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$12.86 $12.86

-4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$12.91 $12.91

12.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$18.22 $18.22

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.93 $5.93

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.51 $1.51

-25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$5.00 $5.00

23.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$5.01 $5.01

3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.74 $2.74

13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.91 $2.91

-30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.37 $2.37

-26.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.35 $2.35

6.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 $8.59

$13.50 $13.50

-36.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$15.72 $15.72

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.53 $2.53

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.98 $3.98

25.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 $1.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 $24.28

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.08 $1.08

-9.26%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$34.3K $34.3K

-19.68%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.53%

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

$219 $219

$215 $215

1.63%

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

$49.94 $49.94

$74.7 $74.7

-33.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$76.8 $76.8

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$18.23 $18.23

561.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.07 $17.07

$14.61 $14.61

16.84%

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

$687 $687

$1,958 $1,958

-64.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$34.8K $34.8K

-38.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.92 $47.92

$54.1 $54.1

-11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 $35.92

$43.96 $43.96

-18.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$91.5 $91.5

19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 $201

$113 $113

77.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$1,565 $1,565

8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$1,617 $1,617

-22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,773 $2,773

-15.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$3,410 $3,410

-38.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,146 $2,146

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$7,040 $7,040

-18.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

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

Last update for Dover, DE: October 25, 2026

Last update for Springfield, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dover, DE

$1.3K 48.3%

Springfield, VA

$1.6K 55.3% 29.2% $366

Groceries & Markets

Dover, DE

$415 16%

Springfield, VA

$433 14.8% 4.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dover, DE

$340 13.1%

Springfield, VA

$367 12.5% 7.9% $27

Eating Out

Dover, DE

$255 9.8%

Springfield, VA

$315 10.8% 23.6% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Dover, DE

$177 6.8%

Springfield, VA

$136 4.7% 23.3% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Dover, DE

$155 6%

Springfield, VA

$47 1.6% 69.3% $107

Getting Around

Dover, DE

- * 0%

Springfield, VA

$8.8 * 0.3%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,692 in Dover, DE versus $1,565 in Springfield, 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 22% higher in Springfield, VA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Dover, DE versus $95 in Springfield, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $433 – making Dover, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dover, DE

🇺🇸 Springfield, VA

🕒 Local time

04:35 4:35 AM

Same time as Dover, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,735

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Dover, DE Springfield, VA 150 km

From you

Dover, DE
Springfield, 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

Dover, DE vs Springfield, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, VA costs about 13% more than Dover, DE, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,890 per month in Dover, DE and $4,387 in Springfield, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,692 in Dover, DE and $1,565 in Springfield, VA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Dover, DE and $95 in Springfield, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Springfield, VA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,593 in Dover, DE and $2,924 in Springfield, VA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dover, DE has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,593 in Dover, DE to $2,924 in Springfield, VA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Dover, DE. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Springfield, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.