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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,422 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,912 in Philadelphia, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,892 in Fairfax, VA versus $4,380 in Philadelphia, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,361 in Fairfax, VA versus $5,848 in Philadelphia, PA.

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 18% more expensive than in Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 156% above, Philadelphia, PA 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$19.68 $19.68

0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$90.9 $90.9

8.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$12.22 $12.22

-2.13%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$4.92 $4.92

20.33%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.71 $2.71

0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.99 $1.99

17.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$5.83 $5.83

4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.90 $6.90

18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.37 $1.37

-32.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.29 $4.29

-14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$10.10 $10.10

-38.42%

Eggs

$5.00 $5.00

$4.47 $4.47

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$14.96 $14.96

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$14.00 $14.00

-12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 $16.81

$21.15 $21.15

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$6.20 $6.20

-10.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.24 $2.24

-19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.25 $5.25

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$5.45 $5.45

22.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.33 $3.33

7.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.93 $2.93

-6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.00 $3.00

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 $10.57

$12.91 $12.91

-18.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 $13.87

$14.78 $14.78

-6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.01 $2.01

30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.22 $4.22

11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.45 $2.45

100.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.08 $45.08

$97.5 $97.5

-53.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.98 $2.98

-15.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.54 $1.54

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 $22.72

$21.99 $21.99

3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.88 $0.88

-4.55%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$27.4K $27.4K

5.41%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.28%

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

$208 $208

$268 $268

-22.12%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$63.1 $63.1

-4.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$75.6 $75.6

-3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 $108

$49.62 $49.62

118.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 $24.62

$32.80 $32.80

-24.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$15.22 $15.22

-1.12%

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

$1,769 $1,769

$2,104 $2,104

-15.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$42.7K $42.7K

-27.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$50.3 $50.3

8.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$41.58 $41.58

22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$93.5 $93.5

4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$145 $145

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$1,744 $1,744

29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$1,372 $1,372

35.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,755 $3,755

$3,098 $3,098

21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 $2,984

$2,297 $2,297

29.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,617 $5,617

$4,065 $4,065

38.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 $4,090

$1,875 $1,875

118.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,769 $5,769

$4,600 $4,600

25.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.68

-1.50%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,264 in Fairfax, VA and $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 25% 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: $99.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $91.0 in Philadelphia, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $452 vs $491, 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 Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philadelphia, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 18% 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 25% 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: $2,264 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Fairfax, VA pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $99.0 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 $2,912 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 18% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.