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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,422 in Fairfax, VA versus $3,321 in Ashburn, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,892 in Fairfax, VA versus $4,445 in Ashburn, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,361 in Fairfax, VA versus $5,570 in Ashburn, VA.

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 3% more expensive than in Ashburn, VA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 156% above, Ashburn, VA 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$19.63 $19.63

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$78.9 $78.9

24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.13 $13.13

-8.91%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$5.71 $5.71

3.68%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.79 $2.79

-2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.53 $2.53

-7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.57 $6.57

-7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$8.08 $8.08

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.08 $1.08

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.65 $3.65

0.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$6.04 $6.04

2.98%

Eggs

$5.00 $5.00

$5.04 $5.04

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$18.95 $18.95

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$12.73 $12.73

-3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 $16.81

$21.99 $21.99

-23.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.65 $5.65

-1.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.78 $1.78

1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$7.15 $7.15

-29.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$6.43 $6.43

3.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.45 $3.45

3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.77 $2.77

-1.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.21 $2.21

4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 $10.57

$8.04 $8.04

31.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 $13.87

$17.69 $17.69

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.71 $1.71

53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.76 $3.76

24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.23 $2.23

120.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.08 $45.08

$73.0 $73.0

-38.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.41 $4.41

-43.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.33 $1.33

17.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 $22.72

$29.52 $29.52

-23.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.81 $0.81

3.70%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

8.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.78%

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

$208 $208

$207 $207

0.88%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$62.0 $62.0

-2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$67.9 $67.9

7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 $108

$61.9 $61.9

75.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 $24.62

$12.15 $12.15

102.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$14.79 $14.79

1.76%

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

$1,769 $1,769

$1,719 $1,719

2.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.0K $24.0K

29.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$46.98 $46.98

15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$47.73 $47.73

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$97.1 $97.1

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$148 $148

-3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$1,946 $1,946

16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$1,817 $1,817

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,755 $3,755

$4,101 $4,101

-8.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 $2,984

$2,227 $2,227

33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,617 $5,617

$2,952 $2,952

90.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 $4,090

$3,172 $3,172

28.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,769 $5,769

$7,682 $7,682

-24.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.57

0.15%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ashburn, VA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,264 in Fairfax, VA and $1,946 in Ashburn, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $79.0 in Ashburn, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $452 vs $484, 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

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

Fairfax, VA and Ashburn, VA differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,422 vs $3,321 including rent). Ashburn, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Ashburn, VA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,264 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,946 in Ashburn, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,769 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,719 in Ashburn, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Fairfax, VA pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ashburn, 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 Ashburn, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.