2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Fairfax, VA vs Auburn, WA

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Auburn or is it cheaper to live in Fairfax?
- Auburn is 11.0% more expensive than Fairfax.

Which city has more affordable housing, Auburn or Fairfax?
- Auburn housing costs are 22.9% less expensive than Fairfax housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Fairfax or is Health Care more affordable in Auburn.
- Health related expenses are 14.1% less in Auburn.
 Fairfax, VAAuburn, WAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock158.1100
 Food & Groceries114.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock88.2100
 Housing223.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$568,500$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock144.8100
 Miscellaneous145.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?

In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.

Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate

Upgrade to Premium | See Example

Reviews for Fairfax    28 Reviews

I lived in the area for 17 years through high school until I eventually became a truck driver. Having now seen most states extensively, I wanted to fairly review what  More

   |    Reply

Living in Fairfax, or any of the Northern Virginia suburbs of DC, means dealing with highways that are a Gordian knot of converging lanes and overpasses, making long  More

   |    Reply

Over 10 years ago

The Cost of living here is high. Though the standard of living is also high, unless you're making over 50,000/year, it's difficult to both live and build any sort of  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Fairfax

Reviews for Auburn    9 Reviews

We lived in a big house on the West Hill of Auburn and then moved to a small rambler amid the big houses on the East Hill of Auburn. So we've lived within the city of  More

   |    Reply

Hello, I have lived in Auburn WA for about 8 years or so, Auburn is a great place to live, full of awesome people and awesome everyday life if you enjoy a 9-5 job and  More

   |    Reply

Over 11 years ago

Auburn is a very ugly, and dirty city, rain and clouds 9 months of the year. Has become really ghetto and would not recommend anyone coming here. Houses are expensive  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Auburn


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.