Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,409 in Fairfax, VA, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

168

Cost of Living Index in Fairfax, VA
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Fairfax, VA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,409

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairfax, VA and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Fairfax, VA $3,409
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,871 in Fairfax, VA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Fairfax, VA $4,871
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,333 in Fairfax, VA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Fairfax, VA $6,333
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 28% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 153% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 $18.62

$20.77 $20.77

-10.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 $94.7

$84.6 $84.6

11.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$12.32 $12.32

-3.57%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.63 $5.63

7.82%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$3.72 $3.72

-15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.50 $2.50

6.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$8.05 $8.05

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$9.01 $9.01

-11.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.12 $1.12

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.75 $3.75

12.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.26 $3.26

58.90%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.17 $4.17

30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$12.90 $12.90

31.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$14.16 $14.16

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$16.22 $16.22

15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.33 $4.33

37.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.46 $1.46

56.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.51 $4.51

28.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.34 $4.34

30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.58 $2.58

11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.35 $2.35

64.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.78 $1.78

33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 $14.17

$9.88 $9.88

43.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$15.08 $15.08

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.92 $2.92

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.46 $3.46

31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.49 $1.49

237.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 $70.1

$41.72 $41.72

67.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.73 $2.73

9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.66 $1.66

-13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.92 $23.92

$35.30 $35.30

-32.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.95 $0.95

9.47%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

0.95%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.25%

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

$207 $207

$229 $229

-9.47%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$59.4 $59.4

12.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$69.9 $69.9

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 $73.8

$57.2 $57.2

28.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 $25.45

$16.33 $16.33

55.85%

Cinema Ticket

$18.15 $18.15

$14.28 $14.28

27.10%

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

$1,946 $1,946

$1,506 $1,506

29.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

60.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$52.8 $52.8

0.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$43.82 $43.82

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$84.8 $84.8

8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$103 $103

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 $2,439

$1,907 $1,907

27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$1,274 $1,274

48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$3,664 $3,664

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 $2,903

$2,538 $2,538

14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,545 $5,545

$7,614 $7,614

-27.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,018 $4,018

$3,157 $3,157

27.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,577 $5,577

$5,121 $5,121

8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.79

-1.03%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairfax, VA

$1.9K 55.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 32.8% $621

Groceries & Markets

Fairfax, VA

$481 14.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 15.9% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfax, VA

$351 10.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 2% $7.1

Eating Out

Fairfax, VA

$331 9.7%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 6.9% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfax, VA

$140 4.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 8.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfax, VA

$110 3.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.1% $24

Getting Around

Fairfax, VA

$100 2.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 41.5% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,439 in Fairfax, VA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 9% 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: $95.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

00:07 12:07 AM

1 h behind Fairfax, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,146

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fairfax, VA Austin, TX 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairfax, VA
Austin, TX

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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Fairfax, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Fairfax, 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: $2,439 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,409 per month in Fairfax, VA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 68% less than in Fairfax, VA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.