Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norfolk, VA and Auburn, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,428 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
Learn more

Norfolk, VA Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
Learn more

Auburn, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Norfolk, VA and in Auburn, CA

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

A single person spends $2,428 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $2,428
Auburn, CA $3,212

A couple spends around $3,629 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $4,620 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $3,629
Auburn, CA $4,620

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $6,027 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $4,829
Auburn, CA $6,027

Norfolk, VA is about 24% cheaper than Auburn, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Norfolk, VA and Auburn, CA sit above the global median – Norfolk, VA by 80%, Auburn, CA by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$25.25 $25.25

-26.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$90.7 $90.7

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$11.92 $11.92

-3.19%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$4.91 $4.91

20.16%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.54 $2.54

10.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.37 $2.37

-12.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.86 $4.86

26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.11 $7.11

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.23 $1.23

-19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.52 $4.52

-12.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$8.21 $8.21

-33.01%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.17 $3.17

50.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$25.79 $25.79

-39.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$18.58 $18.58

-47.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$23.00 $23.00

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$7.72 $7.72

-37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.70 $1.70

-26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$8.51 $8.51

-41.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$6.78 $6.78

-15.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.10 $5.10

-56.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.06 $3.06

17.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.02 $2.02

-7.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.27 $2.27

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$11.66 $11.66

-20.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.24 $15.24

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.46 $1.46

22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.02 $2.02

35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.40 $3.40

-42.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$88.2 $88.2

17.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.26 $3.26

42.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.43 $2.43

-44.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.09 $18.09

$40.49 $40.49

-55.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.22 $1.22

-18.85%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$32.8K $32.8K

6.96%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$24.5K $24.5K

4.23%

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

$213 $213

$189 $189

12.87%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$49.79 $49.79

12.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$66.7 $66.7

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 $40.15

$64.4 $64.4

-37.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$15.10 $15.10

-22.05%

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

$1,480 $1,480

$2,686 $2,686

-44.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$5,939 $5,939

168.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$68.7 $68.7

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.10 $48.10

$46.74 $46.74

2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$110 $110

-16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$199 $199

-39.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 $1,233

$1,823 $1,823

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,591 $1,591

-35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 $2,158

$2,784 $2,784

-22.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$2,344 $2,344

-28.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,458 $2,458

$3,277 $3,277

-25.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,304 $2,304

$2,675 $2,675

-13.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 $3,423

$3,926 $3,926

-12.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.77

-2.95%

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

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5%

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5% 54.1% $559

Groceries & Markets

Norfolk, VA

$412 17%

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4% 35.4% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9%

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5% 9.2% $31

Eating Out

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1%

Auburn, CA

$355 11% 11.4% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8%

Auburn, CA

$191 6% 34.7% $49

Getting Around

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1%

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7% 4.6% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6%

Auburn, CA

$95 3% 48.6% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,233 in Norfolk, VA versus $1,823 in Auburn, CA. 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 15% higher in Auburn, CA, 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 $91.0 in Norfolk, VA versus $91.0 in Auburn, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $558 – making Norfolk, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

12:24 12:24 PM

3 h behind Norfolk, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

242,803

76,143

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Norfolk, VA Auburn, CA 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Norfolk, VA
Auburn, CA

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

Norfolk, VA vs Auburn, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,428 in Norfolk, VA, $3,212 in Auburn, CA – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,642 per month in Norfolk, VA and $4,818 in Auburn, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,480 per month in Norfolk, VA and $2,686 in Auburn, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Norfolk, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,428, than in Auburn, CA at $3,212. In Norfolk, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Norfolk, VA – 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 Norfolk, VA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.