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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,921 in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,479 in Fairfax, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,324 in Philadelphia, PA versus $4,930 in Fairfax, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,727 in Philadelphia, PA versus $6,380 in Fairfax, VA.

Living in Philadelphia, PA costs roughly 16% less than in Fairfax, VA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philadelphia, PA 114% above, Fairfax, VA 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.63 $21.63

$18.73 $18.73

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$95.0 $95.0

-15.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$11.90 $11.90

6.97%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$6.10 $6.10

-13.11%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$3.24 $3.24

-7.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.70 $2.70

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.81 $6.81

-11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.18 $8.18

-4.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.12 $1.12

26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.18 $4.18

3.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$5.33 $5.33

59.47%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$5.32 $5.32

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$16.73 $16.73

-26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$14.86 $14.86

-10.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.08 $18.08

$19.11 $19.11

-5.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.95 $5.95

-1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.29 $2.29

-29.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.63 $5.63

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.65 $5.65

-9.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.76 $2.76

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.90 $3.90

-18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.49 $2.49

-1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.69 $2.69

-8.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 $13.17

$13.83 $13.83

-4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$15.31 $15.31

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.53 $2.53

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.74 $4.74

-8.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 $2.85

$5.14 $5.14

-44.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$68.9 $68.9

47.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.04 $3.04

-9.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.43 $1.43

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.60 $23.60

$24.34 $24.34

-3.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.99 $0.99

13.13%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

2.61%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.5K $25.5K

-0.52%

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

$217 $217

$207 $207

4.89%

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

$64.4 $64.4

$66.0 $66.0

-2.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$78.2 $78.2

-11.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.8 $82.8

$74.2 $74.2

11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$93.3 $93.3

$25.18 $25.18

270.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.41 $15.41

$18.21 $18.21

-15.38%

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

$2,200 $2,200

$1,958 $1,958

12.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K $41.6K

$35.5K $35.5K

16.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.34 $49.34

$53.0 $53.0

-6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.60 $47.60

$54.5 $54.5

-12.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$91.8 $91.8

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$112 $112

26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$2,325 $2,325

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$1,882 $1,882

-28.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 $4,165

$3,586 $3,586

16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$2,879 $2,879

-24.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,069 $4,069

$5,541 $5,541

-26.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 $1,885

$4,113 $4,113

-54.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,516 $4,516

$5,797 $5,797

-22.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

6.26

-1.60%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fairfax, VA: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Philadelphia, PA and $2,325 in Fairfax, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 28% 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: $80.0 in Philadelphia, PA vs $95.0 in Fairfax, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $483 per month, with Philadelphia, PA cheaper across the board.

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

Philadelphia, PA vs Fairfax, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philadelphia, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 19% 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.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Fairfax, VA. 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: $1,961 in Philadelphia, PA versus $2,325 in Fairfax, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Fairfax, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $95.0 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 $2,921 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 19% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.