Cost of Food

Food costs are calculated from the USDA's most recent monthly Food Cost Report; this calculation uses the monthly food costs for individuals between 19-50 at the Moderate Cost plan. (Median between M and F.) For more costs see below:

Individual Weekly Cost in Hours:

Individual Monthly Cost in Hours:

Family of Two Weekly Cost in Hours:

Family of Two Monthly Cost in Hours:

Family of Four Weekly Cost in Hours:

Family of Four Monthly Cost in Hours:

Cost of Gas

Gas costs are calculated from AAA's most recent national gas price average, which as of 11.14.2018 is $2.677. Diesel, as of 11.13.2018, is 3.273/gal. See below:

A Gallon of Gas Cost in Hours:

A Gallon of Diesel Cost in Hours:

Fill a Small (12-gal) Tank Cost in Hours:

Fill a Large (15-gal) Tank Cost in Hours:

Fill a Small (12-gal) Diesel Tank in Hours:

Fill a Large (15-gal) Diesel Tank Cost in Hours:

Cost of Metro

Metro costs are calculated from the WMATA Metrorail Fares page. The $4.95 average is taken both to represent the average metro trip at peak as well as average metro parking. Minumum and maximum tickets and parking prices vary, as seen below:

Peak SmarTrip Fare (Min) Cost in Hours:

Peak SmarTrip Fare (Max) Cost in Hours:

Off-Peak SmarTrip Fare (Min) Cost in Hours:

Off-Peak SmarTrip Fare (Max) Cost in Hours:

Parking Fare (Avg) Cost in Hours:

Parking Fare (Max) Cost in Hours:

Cost of Movies

Movie costs are calculated from this page. A selection of NoVA local ticket prices are below:

National average for a movie ticket - Cost in Hours:

Tyson's AMC Theater Peak Tickets - Cost in Hours:

Tyson's AMC Theater Weekday Matinee Tickets - Cost in Hours:

University Mall Theater Tickets - Cost in Hours:

Cost in Hours

How is Cost in Hours calculated? Very simply, the cost of the item is divided by minimum wage: this is how many hours a person making minimum wage needs to work to afford that item. For example, at Minimum wage you have to work 4.43 hours to make $32.12, the amount needed to fill a 12-gal tank.

Click on each image for more details, and for sources. Sources are also cited at the bottom of this page.

Cost of Entertainment

Entertainment costs are calculated from a variety of sources:

• NFL Tickets: [Source]
• Concert Tickets: [Source]
• Beer: [Source]
• Stand-up: based on an estimation from google searches
• Maryland Renaissance Festival: [Source]
• Disney World Tickets: $105 [Source]

NFL Tickets - Cost in Hours:

Concert Tickets - Cost in Hours:

Two Beers at a local bar - Cost in Hours:

Attending a comedy show - Cost in Hours:

Maryland Renaissance Festival - Cost in Hours:

Tickets to Disney World - Cost in Hours:

Cost of Rent

Rent costs are calculated from this Cost of Living calculator for the United States. Data is based on 213,468 contributions in the past 18 mo by 23,749 users, and is current to Nov 2018.

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center - Cost in Hours:

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center - Cost in Hours:

Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center - Cost in Hours:

Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Center - Cost in Hours:

Cost of Education

The matter of education is intensly complicated, and includes a variety of factors, including age level, location, and associated fees. Even restricting a discussion of education to adult education leaves the question of 2-yr/4-yr, public/private, financial aid, room and board and other fees, &c. Thus, I have included only two figures:

Full-Time In-State Public Four-Year College

The average published tuition and fee price for full-time in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities is $10,230 in 2018-19, $250 (2.5% before adjusting for inflation) higher than it was in 2017-18. [Direct Quote]

Average Tuition for Public Community College

For public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,847 per year for in-state students and $8,607 for out-of-state students (2018-19). [Direct Quote]

Full-Time In-State Public Four-Year College - Cost in Hours:

Average Tuition for Public Community College - Cost in Hours:

Cost of Rent

Insurance costs are calculated from this data on the ACA insurance costs for 2018. See below:

Average monthly premiums for individual coverage - Cost in Hours:

Average monthly premiums for family coverage - Cost in Hours: