Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,428 in Fairfax, VA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

166

Cost of Living Index in Fairfax, VA
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Fairfax, VA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,428

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairfax, VA and in Chicago, IL

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 Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,428 per month in Fairfax, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fairfax, VA $3,428
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,787 per month in Fairfax, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fairfax, VA $4,787
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,147 per month in Fairfax, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fairfax, VA $6,147
Chicago, IL $5,999

Fairfax, VA costs about 13% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fairfax, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fairfax, VA by 152%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.15 $19.15

$20.71 $20.71

-7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 $96.5

$89.2 $89.2

8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$13.19 $13.19

-10.24%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.66 $5.66

7.42%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.64 $2.64

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.28 $2.28

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$6.87 $6.87

-0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$8.84 $8.84

-8.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.25 $1.25

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.72 $3.72

9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

Eggs

$5.40 $5.40

$4.74 $4.74

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$13.84 $13.84

22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.95 $14.95

$14.40 $14.40

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.63 $18.63

$18.38 $18.38

1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.22 $5.22

12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 $1.98

14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$4.06 $4.06

42.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$4.97 $4.97

15.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.67 $2.67

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.66 $2.66

40.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.24 $2.24

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.13 $3.13

-14.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.63 $13.63

$13.82 $13.82

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 $15.84

$14.88 $14.88

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.54 $2.54

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.51 $3.51

29.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.43 $2.43

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 $68.7

$73.5 $73.5

-6.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.18 $3.18

-6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.39 $1.39

5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 $24.06

$25.03 $25.03

-3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

1.61%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.04%

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

$212 $212

$194 $194

9.18%

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

$65.6 $65.6

$69.5 $69.5

-5.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.3 $77.3

$61.6 $61.6

25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 $68.6

$47.90 $47.90

43.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.20 $25.20

$27.34 $27.34

-7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.96 $17.96

$17.81 $17.81

0.84%

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

$1,906 $1,906

$1,794 $1,794

6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K $35.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$67.0 $67.0

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$52.1 $52.1

5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$102 $102

-8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 $2,474

$2,526 $2,526

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 $1,920

$1,578 $1,578

21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 $3,353

$4,738 $4,738

-29.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,733 $2,733

$2,693 $2,693

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,371 $5,371

$4,190 $4,190

28.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,702 $3,702

$2,768 $2,768

33.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,746 $5,746

$4,931 $4,931

16.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairfax, VA

$1.9K 56%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 17.8% $342

Groceries & Markets

Fairfax, VA

$483 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 7.3% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfax, VA

$355 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.4% $30

Eating Out

Fairfax, VA

$335 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfax, VA

$140 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 17% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfax, VA

$105 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.1% $21

Getting Around

Fairfax, VA

$90 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 3.9% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,474 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 17% higher in Fairfax, VA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Fairfax, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $483 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:26 4:26 AM

03:26 3:26 AM

1 h behind Fairfax, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,146

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fairfax, VA Chicago, IL 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Fairfax, VA
Chicago, IL

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 Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,428 in Fairfax, VA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,141 per month in Fairfax, VA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,474 in Fairfax, VA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Fairfax, VA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Fairfax, VA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,428 in Fairfax, VA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,428 in Fairfax, VA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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