Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Fairfax vs Scranton

Fairfax vs Scranton

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Scranton 38% cheaper High / Moderate

Fairfax

Shot By Joe/Unsplash

Scranton

Nicholas Bukofski/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$4,943

Fairfax

$3,061

Scranton

Internet

279

Mbps

279

Mbps

Safety

High

Fairfax

Moderate

Scranton

Air Quality

5/5

Fairfax

5/5

Scranton

Healthcare

Low

Fairfax

Low

Scranton

Population

1.0m

Fairfax

76.7k

Scranton

Fairfax and Scranton are both in United States, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Scranton costs $3061/mo, saving 38% compared to Fairfax's $4943/mo — that's $22584 per year.

For families, Fairfax costs $9000.25/mo compared to Scranton's $5258.0625/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Fairfax at 279 Mbps and Scranton at 279 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

Fairfax has a stronger safety profile than Scranton, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Fairfax and Scranton.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Fairfax is June (around 32 degrees, 0mm rain, score 406), while Scranton peaks in September (25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

FairfaxScranton

Nomad$4,943/mo$3,061/mo

Expat$3,505/mo$2,149/mo

Local$2,572/mo$1,502/mo

Family$9,000/mo$5,258/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

FairfaxScranton

City Speed

279 Mbps

Country Speed279 Mbps279 Mbps

Environment & Health

FairfaxScranton

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowLow

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity8381

Quality of Life

FairfaxScranton

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Fairfax

Scranton

Jan

3°

0mm344

0°

0mm325

Feb

5°

0mm349

2°

0mm339

Mar

11°

0mm359

8°

0mm344

Apr

18°

0mm366

13°

1mm333

May

25°

1mm380

23°

0mm377

Jun

32°

0mm406

29°

0mm394

Jul

35°

1mm394

32°

0mm397

Aug

32°

0mm404

28°

1mm371

Sep

26°

1mm393

25°

0mm399

Oct

19°

0mm389

16°

0mm359

Nov

12°

0mm359

8°

0mm349

Dec

2°

0mm346

-1°

0mm325

Who Should Choose Fairfax?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in June — 32 degrees, score 406

Who Should Choose Scranton?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 76.7k residents
Peak season in September — 25 degrees, score 399

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Fairfax is the stronger pick. At $4943/mo it beats Scranton's $3061/mo by 38%, and the 279 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Fairfax Scranton

ItemFairfaxScrantonDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$19.38—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$75—

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$10$8

20%

Cappuccino (regular)$5.06$4.6

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$6—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$7.25$4

45%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.42$1.5

38%

Water (0.33L)$1.78$1.25

30%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.5$0.92

39%

White bread (500g)$4.35$2.41

45%

White rice (1kg)$4.28$3.16

26%

Eggs (12)$2.55$2.64

Chicken fillets (1kg)$9.85$11.02

11%

Beef round (1kg)$14.37$6.37

56%

Local cheese (1kg)$12.81$14.23

10%

Apples (1kg)$4.82$6

20%

Bananas (1kg)$1.49$1.96

24%

Oranges (1kg)$4.27$8.82

52%

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.81$3.23

33%

Potatoes (1kg)$3.13$2.46

21%

Onions (1kg)$2.49$2.09

16%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.49$1.66

10%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.89$0.89

53%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12$11

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$3.21—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.12$4.25

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$7.47$8.86

16%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$3$1.75

42%

Monthly transport pass—$60

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.5$3

14%

Taxi per 1km$1.34$1.94

31%

Taxi 1hr waiting—$12

—

Gasoline (1L)$1.24$1.28

Volkswagen Golf (new)$31,500$19,000

40%

Toyota Corolla (new)$20,331.25$26,000

22%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$205.35$185.51

10%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$73.57$85

13%

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.1

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$58$28

52%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$22.5—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$15$11

27%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$1,706.67$1,800

International primary school/yr$16,666.67$7,800

53%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$47.5$37.49

21%

Summer dress (chain store)$46$41.33

10%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$95$76.33

20%

Men's leather business shoes$129$75

42%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,200$1,550

30%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,733.33$1,000

42%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$3,560$2,500

30%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$2,825$1,500

47%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$6,754.35—

—

Price per m², outside centre$2,891.9$1,076.39

63%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$6,117.78$2,178

64%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.9$4.45

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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