Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between McLean, VA and Duluth, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Duluth, MN: $2,233 a month against $2,998 in McLean, VA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in McLean, VA
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McLean, VA Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, MN
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Duluth, MN Living Index

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McLean, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,998

/mo nomad

Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,233

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in McLean, VA and in Duluth, MN

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

A single person spends $2,998 per month in McLean, VA vs $2,233 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

McLean, VA $2,998
Duluth, MN $2,233

A couple spends around $4,767 per month in McLean, VA vs $3,579 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

McLean, VA $4,767
Duluth, MN $3,579

A family of three spends $6,536 per month in McLean, VA vs $4,925 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

McLean, VA $6,536
Duluth, MN $4,925

McLean, VA costs about 34% more than Duluth, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both McLean, VA and Duluth, MN sit above the global median – McLean, VA by 121%, Duluth, MN by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.76 $16.76

$19.77 $19.77

-15.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 $69.9

$66.8 $66.8

4.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 $11.58

$10.07 $10.07

15.00%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$5.35 $5.35

1.87%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$2.50 $2.50

-6.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.87 $1.87

4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.45 $6.45

39.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.85 $7.85

28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.83 $0.83

56.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.86 $2.86

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.88 $3.88

-43.04%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$3.70 $3.70

26.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$10.12 $10.12

71.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.99 $16.99

$10.51 $10.51

61.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.31 $18.31

$18.84 $18.84

-2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$5.23 $5.23

21.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.48 $1.48

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.65 $2.65

90.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$4.45 $4.45

28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.10 $1.10

163.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.18 $2.18

71.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.17 $1.17

121.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.45 $1.45

82.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 $14.26

$13.06 $13.06

9.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.92 $15.92

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.75 $1.75

81.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.79 $2.79

102.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.85 $1.85

32.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 $39.24

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.88 $4.88

-18.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.52 $1.52

3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.19 $25.19

$23.73 $23.73

6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.96 $0.96

-5.21%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$22.1K $22.1K

57.21%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

10.07%

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

$207 $207

$177 $177

17.22%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$44.52 $44.52

69.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 $55.6

$68.0 $68.0

-18.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.6 $90.6

$63.2 $63.2

43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 $25.71

Cinema Ticket

$18.26 $18.26

$11.23 $11.23

62.60%

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

$1,940 $1,940

$1,029 $1,029

88.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.8K $41.8K

$10.2K $10.2K

310.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$57.3 $57.3

-9.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 $44.07

$43.48 $43.48

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 $68.9

$101 $101

-31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 $66.0

$85.4 $85.4

-22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 $2,836

$1,287 $1,287

120.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,610 $1,610

$1,001 $1,001

60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,942 $3,942

$2,334 $2,334

68.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$2,200 $2,200

59.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 $2,195

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 $2,215

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,722 $5,722

$3,783 $3,783

51.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.19

7.11%

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

Last update for McLean, VA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Duluth, MN: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

McLean, VA

$1.6K 53.7%

Duluth, MN

$1K 44.8% 37.8% $609

Groceries & Markets

McLean, VA

$480 16%

Duluth, MN

$351 15.7% 27% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

McLean, VA

$338 11.3%

Duluth, MN

$289 13% 14.5% $49

Eating Out

McLean, VA

$317 10.6%

Duluth, MN

$318 14.2% 0.4% $1.3

Sport & Entertainment

McLean, VA

$127 4.2%

Duluth, MN

$86 3.8% 32.6% $42

Clothing & Footwear

McLean, VA

$104 3.5%

Duluth, MN

$129 5.8% 24.3% $25

Getting Around

McLean, VA

$22 * 0.7%

Duluth, MN

$59 2.7% 172% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,836 in McLean, VA versus $1,287 in Duluth, MN. 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 51% higher in McLean, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in McLean, VA versus $67.0 in Duluth, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $351 – making Duluth, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 McLean, VA

🇺🇸 Duluth, MN

🕒 Local time

06:48 6:48 AM

05:48 5:48 AM

1 h behind McLean, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,115

86,265

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

McLean, VA Duluth, MN 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

McLean, VA
Duluth, MN

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

McLean, VA vs Duluth, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – McLean, VA is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,496 per month in McLean, VA and $3,349 in Duluth, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duluth, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,998 in McLean, VA and $2,233 in Duluth, MN. That's a gap of about 34%.

Kindergarten costs $1,940 per month in McLean, VA and $1,029 in Duluth, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Duluth, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,233, than in McLean, VA at $2,998. In Duluth, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in McLean, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duluth, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Duluth, MN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, McLean, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.