Cost of Living Comparison Between Parkersburg, WV and Darlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Parkersburg, WV and Darlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,786 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $1,678 in Darlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $2,666 in Darlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $3,653 in Darlington, rent included.

Parkersburg, WV costs about 6% more than Darlington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Parkersburg, WV and Darlington sit above the global median – Parkersburg, WV by 33%, Darlington by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.76 $16.76

$18.20 £13.56

-7.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 $58.6

$81.7 £60.9

-28.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 $9.43

$9.77 £7.28

-3.48%

Cappuccino

$4.23 $4.23

$4.70 £3.50

-10.00%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.00 £1.49

15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.71 £0.53

139.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 $2.83

$5.49 £4.09

-48.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.48 £3.34

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.30 £0.97

-41.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.33 £0.99

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.36 £1.76

53.81%

Eggs

$1.79 $1.79

$3.72 £2.77

-51.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$10.43 £7.77

4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$7.95 £5.92

-25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 $8.73

$7.66 £5.70

13.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.58 £2.66

24.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.28 £0.95

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.05 £2.27

-7.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.68 £2.74

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.13 £0.84

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.34 £1.00

114.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.97 £0.72

78.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.83 £0.62

103.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 $6.64

$18.67 £13.91

-64.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 $19.08

$9.24 £6.88

106.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.18 £0.88

48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.92 £1.43

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.74 £2.04

-63.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 £65.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.87 £3.63

-27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.58 £1.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$16.34 £12.17

81.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.95 £1.46

-54.87%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$20.4K £15.2K

45.05%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.7K £23.6K

-17.99%

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

$207 $207

$269 £201

-23.00%

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

$44.85 $44.85

$15.76 £11.74

184.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$43.60 £32.48

42.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.79 $42.79

$26.98 £20.10

58.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 £5.07

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 $13.18

$6.81 £5.07

93.54%

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

$557 $557

$1,593 £1,187

-65.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,977 $4,977

$6,694 £4,987

-25.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.59 $45.59

$80.1 £59.7

-43.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$26.85 £20.00

93.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 $73.5

$87.1 £64.9

-15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$71.2 £53.1

48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 $840

$668 £498

25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 $705

$554 £412

27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$1,483 £1,105

-4.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 $907

$1,226 £914

-26.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 $1,183

$13.8K £10.2K

-91.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 $1,209

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 $1,749

$2,798 £2,084

-37.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.6

16.79%

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

Last update for Parkersburg, WV: May 30, 2026

Last update for Darlington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Parkersburg, WV versus $668 in Darlington. 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 60% higher in Darlington, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Parkersburg, WV versus $82.0 in Darlington. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Parkersburg, WV vs $249 in Darlington – so Darlington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Parkersburg, WV vs Darlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Parkersburg, WV is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,679 per month in Parkersburg, WV and $2,517 in Darlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Darlington, 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 $1,786 in Parkersburg, WV and $1,678 in Darlington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Parkersburg, WV and $1,593 in Darlington. 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 Darlington, where all-in costs run around $1,678, than in Parkersburg, WV at $1,786. In Darlington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Parkersburg, WV it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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