Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duluth, MN and McLean, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Duluth, MN: $2,214 a month against $2,991 in McLean, VA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, MN
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Duluth, MN Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in McLean, VA
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McLean, VA Living Index

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Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,214

/mo nomad

McLean, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,991

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Duluth, MN and in McLean, VA

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

A single person spends $2,214 per month in Duluth, MN vs $2,991 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $2,214
McLean, VA $2,991

A couple spends around $3,542 per month in Duluth, MN vs $4,744 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $3,542
McLean, VA $4,744

A family of three spends $4,870 per month in Duluth, MN vs $6,496 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $4,870
McLean, VA $6,496

Duluth, MN is about 26% cheaper than McLean, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Duluth, MN and McLean, VA sit above the global median – Duluth, MN by 63%, McLean, VA by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 $20.10

$16.24 $16.24

23.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 $66.4

$69.5 $69.5

-4.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$11.39 $11.39

-13.35%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.41 $5.41

-1.66%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$2.34 $2.34

9.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.98 $1.98

-4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 $6.59

$8.86 $8.86

-25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$10.14 $10.14

-21.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.29 $1.29

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.18 $4.18

-28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.17 $2.17

75.12%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$4.76 $4.76

-23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$16.84 $16.84

-38.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$16.61 $16.61

-39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 $19.40

$18.61 $18.61

4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.22 $6.22

-16.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.68 $1.68

-7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.99 $4.99

-44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.83 $5.83

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.91 $2.91

-62.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.73 $3.73

-41.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.60 $2.60

-57.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.75 $2.75

-49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.11 $13.11

$13.85 $13.85

-5.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 $16.23

$16.02 $16.02

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.26 $3.26

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.68 $5.68

-50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.46 $2.46

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 $39.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.02 $4.02

27.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.58 $1.58

-3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.18 $24.18

$24.92 $24.92

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.88 $0.88

2.27%

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

$22.8K $22.8K

$34.9K $34.9K

-34.55%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-8.97%

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

$180 $180

$213 $213

-15.59%

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

$43.17 $43.17

$74.9 $74.9

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$54.7 $54.7

23.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 $63.4

$88.4 $88.4

-28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.84 $25.84

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 $11.55

$17.64 $17.64

-34.52%

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

$1,032 $1,032

$1,901 $1,901

-45.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,973 $9,973

$41.7K $41.7K

-76.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$52.2 $52.2

10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.26 $44.26

$44.80 $44.80

-1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 $98.8

$70.6 $70.6

39.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 $86.3

$63.9 $63.9

35.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$2,751 $2,751

-53.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 $974

$1,607 $1,607

-39.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 $2,304

$4,026 $4,026

-42.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 $2,132

$3,481 $3,481

-38.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,231 $2,231

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,161 $2,161

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,747 $3,747

$5,837 $5,837

-35.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.63

-6.64%

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

Last update for Duluth, MN: October 26, 2026

Last update for McLean, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Duluth, MN

$974 44%

McLean, VA

$1.6K 53.7% 65% $633

Groceries & Markets

Duluth, MN

$352 15.9%

McLean, VA

$481 16.1% 36.6% $129

Eating Out

Duluth, MN

$321 14.5%

McLean, VA

$311 10.4% 3.2% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duluth, MN

$291 13.1%

McLean, VA

$343 11.5% 17.9% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Duluth, MN

$129 5.8%

McLean, VA

$104 3.5% 19.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Duluth, MN

$86 3.9%

McLean, VA

$124 4.1% 43.1% $37

Getting Around

Duluth, MN

$60 2.7%

McLean, VA

$22 * 0.7% 63.9% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,283 in Duluth, MN versus $2,751 in McLean, 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 56% higher in McLean, VA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Duluth, MN versus $69 in McLean, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $481 – making Duluth, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 McLean, VA

🕒 Local time

18:46 6:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

1 h ahead of Duluth, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,265

48,115

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Duluth, MN McLean, VA 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Duluth, MN
McLean, 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

Duluth, MN vs McLean, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – McLean, VA is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,321 per month in Duluth, MN and $4,487 in McLean, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duluth, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,283 there versus $2,751 in McLean, VA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,214 in Duluth, MN and $2,991 in McLean, VA. That makes Duluth, MN about 26% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,032 per month in Duluth, MN and $1,901 in McLean, VA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Duluth, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,214, than in McLean, VA at $2,991. In Duluth, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in McLean, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duluth, MN – 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 Duluth, MN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, McLean, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.