Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Philadelphia, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,836 a month against $3,409 in Fairfax, VA, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fairfax, VA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

168

Cost of Living Index in Fairfax, VA
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Fairfax, VA Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index

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Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,409

/mo nomad

Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,836

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairfax, VA and in Philadelphia, PA

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 Philadelphia, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,836 in Philadelphia, PA.

Fairfax, VA $3,409
Philadelphia, PA $2,836

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,871 in Fairfax, VA versus $4,251 in Philadelphia, PA.

Fairfax, VA $4,871
Philadelphia, PA $4,251

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,333 in Fairfax, VA versus $5,667 in Philadelphia, PA.

Fairfax, VA $6,333
Philadelphia, PA $5,667

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Philadelphia, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 153% above, Philadelphia, PA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 $18.62

$21.64 $21.64

-13.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 $94.7

$80.7 $80.7

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$12.71 $12.71

-6.53%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.42 $5.42

11.99%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$3.12 $3.12

0.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.23 $2.23

19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.87 $5.87

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.92 $7.92

1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.48 $1.48

-22.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.54 $4.54

-7.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$7.31 $7.31

-29.14%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.94 $4.94

10.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$12.25 $12.25

38.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$12.67 $12.67

14.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$17.90 $17.90

4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.44 $5.44

9.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.54 $1.54

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.16 $5.16

12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.14 $5.14

9.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.74 $2.74

4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.10 $3.10

24.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.48 $2.48

-4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.44 $2.44

8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.91 $12.91

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$14.84 $14.84

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.40 $2.40

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.44 $4.44

2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.88 $2.88

74.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 $70.1

$101 $101

-30.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.77 $2.77

7.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.55 $1.55

-7.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.92 $23.92

$24.04 $24.04

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.15 $1.15

-9.57%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.1K $36.1K

0.72%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.54%

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

$207 $207

$214 $214

-3.17%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$64.1 $64.1

4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$63.9 $63.9

20.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 $73.8

$81.6 $81.6

-9.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 $25.45

$92.8 $92.8

-72.56%

Cinema Ticket

$18.15 $18.15

$15.65 $15.65

15.97%

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

$1,946 $1,946

$2,246 $2,246

-13.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$42.9K $42.9K

-19.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$48.98 $48.98

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$47.03 $47.03

15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$105 $105

-12.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$140 $140

-20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,000 $2,000

21.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$1,311 $1,311

44.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$4,458 $4,458

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 $2,903

$2,225 $2,225

30.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,545 $5,545

$4,112 $4,112

34.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,018 $4,018

$1,857 $1,857

116.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,577 $5,577

$4,503 $4,503

23.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.62

1.51%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairfax, VA

$1.9K 55.6%

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 46.2% 30.8% $584

Groceries & Markets

Fairfax, VA

$481 14.1%

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9% 6.5% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfax, VA

$351 10.3%

Philadelphia, PA

$342 12.1% 2.6% $9.2

Eating Out

Fairfax, VA

$331 9.7%

Philadelphia, PA

$343 12.1% 3.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfax, VA

$140 4.1%

Philadelphia, PA

$154 5.4% 9.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfax, VA

$110 3.2%

Philadelphia, PA

$113 4% 2.5% $2.7

Getting Around

Fairfax, VA

$100 2.9%

Philadelphia, PA

$123 4.4% 23% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,439 in Fairfax, VA and $2,000 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 24% 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 $81.0 in Philadelphia, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $450 per month, with Philadelphia, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🕒 Local time

02:02 2:02 AM

Same time as Fairfax, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,146

1,573,916

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fairfax, VA Philadelphia, PA 220 km

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Fairfax, VA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Philadelphia, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Fairfax, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Philadelphia, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $2,000 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Fairfax, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $95.0 in Fairfax, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Philadelphia, PA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Philadelphia, PA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Philadelphia, PA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Philadelphia, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.