Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairfax, VA: $3,409 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

168

Cost of Living Index in Fairfax, VA
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Fairfax, VA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,409

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairfax, VA and in Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Fairfax, VA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Fairfax, VA $3,409
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,871 in Fairfax, VA versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Fairfax, VA $4,871
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,333 in Fairfax, VA versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Fairfax, VA $6,333
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Fairfax, VA costs roughly 10% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 153% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 $18.62

$25.32 $25.32

-26.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 $94.7

$101 $101

-6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$14.85 $14.85

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$6.59 $6.59

-7.89%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$3.22 $3.22

-2.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.14 $3.14

-14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$8.18 $8.18

-16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.03 $8.03

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.21 $1.21

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$5.12 $5.12

-17.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$6.30 $6.30

-17.78%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.90 $4.90

11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$19.10 $19.10

-10.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$18.50 $18.50

-21.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$23.03 $23.03

-18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.81 $5.81

2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.95 $1.95

17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.29 $5.29

9.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$6.48 $6.48

-12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.57 $3.57

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.15 $3.15

22.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.85 $2.85

-16.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.42 $2.42

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.75 $12.75

11.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$14.99 $14.99

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.17 $4.17

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$5.99 $5.99

-24.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.04 $3.04

65.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 $70.1

$110 $110

-36.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.55 $2.55

16.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.64 $1.64

-12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.92 $23.92

$29.58 $29.58

-19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.42 $1.42

-26.76%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.80%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.35%

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

$207 $207

$299 $299

-30.67%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$70.8 $70.8

-5.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$88.3 $88.3

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 $73.8

$79.5 $79.5

-7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 $25.45

$35.37 $35.37

-28.05%

Cinema Ticket

$18.15 $18.15

$17.12 $17.12

6.02%

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

$1,946 $1,946

$3,013 $3,013

-35.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$31.6K $31.6K

8.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$77.2 $77.2

-31.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$55.1 $55.1

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$126 $126

-26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$163 $163

-31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,464 $2,464

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$1,956 $1,956

-3.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$4,711 $4,711

-25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 $2,903

$3,550 $3,550

-18.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,545 $5,545

$7,346 $7,346

-24.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,018 $4,018

$5,048 $5,048

-20.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,577 $5,577

$6,286 $6,286

-11.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.85

-1.90%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairfax, VA

$1.9K 55.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 3.2% $61

Groceries & Markets

Fairfax, VA

$481 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 12.5% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfax, VA

$351 10.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 30.4% $107

Eating Out

Fairfax, VA

$331 9.7%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 23.5% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfax, VA

$140 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 34.8% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfax, VA

$110 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 3.3% $3.6

Getting Around

Fairfax, VA

$100 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 32.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,439 in Fairfax, VA and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 13% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $542 per month, with Fairfax, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

22:46 10:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

3 h behind Fairfax, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,146

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fairfax, VA Seattle, WA 3,720 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairfax, VA
Seattle, WA

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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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fairfax, VA wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fairfax, VA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $2,439 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fairfax, VA – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Fairfax, VA 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 Fairfax, VA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,409 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fairfax, VA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Fairfax, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.