Cost of Living in Virginia
Updated November 2026 · population 8,705,170
Virginia prices are 1.1% above the US average (index 101.1), ranking 16th most expensive of 51 states and DC; housing is the biggest cost driver at 106.8, and a single adult's modelled budget at state-average prices is about $2,989 a month.
Prices by category
Virginia price index by category, US average = 100: All items 101.1, Housing (rents) 106.8, Goods 100.4, Utilities 92.2, Other services 100.2
| Area | All items |
|---|---|
| Virginia (whole state) | 101.1 |
| Metropolitan areas of Virginia | 102.6 |
| Nonmetropolitan areas of Virginia | 88.4 |
Cities in Virginia
Select a column heading to sort.
| Virginia Beach | 456,349 | 100.6 | $2,913 | $5,550 | $1,714 | $382,500 |
| Chesapeake | 252,583 | 99.1 | $2,897 | $5,293 | $1,586 | $378,400 |
| Arlington | 236,254 | 114.0 | $3,895 | $7,410 | $2,322 | $895,000 |
| Norfolk | 233,596 | 95.9 | $2,577 | $5,230 | $1,321 | $289,900 |
| Richmond | 229,359 | 96.7 | $2,734 | $5,105 | $1,372 | $353,000 |
| Newport News | 184,216 | 96.1 | $2,594 | $5,149 | $1,339 | $260,600 |
| Alexandria | 156,976 | 111.1 | $3,555 | $6,655 | $2,089 | $735,100 |
| Hampton | 137,557 | 97.1 | $2,672 | $5,178 | $1,427 | $245,700 |
| Suffolk | 98,796 | 98.8 | $2,971 | $5,127 | $1,563 | $347,400 |
| Roanoke | 98,355 | 93.1 | $2,336 | $4,836 | $996 | $190,500 |
| Portsmouth | 97,190 | 95.6 | $2,553 | $5,090 | $1,300 | $246,900 |
| Lynchburg | 79,497 | 91.9 | $2,370 | $4,889 | $1,073 | $229,800 |
| Centreville | 71,706 | 113.8 | $3,566 | $6,620 | $2,299 | $590,500 |
| Dale City | 71,016 | 108.4 | $3,001 | $5,920 | $1,876 | $425,500 |
| Reston | 64,414 | 112.9 | $3,687 | $6,659 | $2,231 | $642,000 |
| Harrisonburg | 51,392 | 94.8 | $2,386 | $4,958 | $1,184 | $299,100 |
| McLean resort/outlier | 49,627 | 128.0 | $4,764 | $8,080 | $3,422 | $1,412,700 |
| Blacksburg | 45,446 | 95.7 | $2,611 | $5,330 | $1,359 | $446,300 |
| Charlottesville | 45,437 | 98.0 | $2,757 | $5,404 | $1,540 | $486,700 |
| Manassas | 42,976 | 108.0 | $3,320 | $6,080 | $1,850 | $449,900 |
| Fredericksburg | 28,873 | 105.1 | $3,085 | $5,758 | $1,619 | $483,700 |
| Fairfax | 25,026 | 113.1 | $3,574 | $6,878 | $2,245 | $722,600 |
| Martinsville | 13,658 | 89.5 | $2,044 | $4,310 | $808 | $98,400 |
Metro areas in Virginia
| Metro area | All items | Housing |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 108.9 | 151.1 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 99.1 | 107.0 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 97.9 | 99.8 |
| Richmond, VA | 97.9 | 99.1 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 96.5 | 90.0 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 94.9 | 82.3 |
| Roanoke, VA | 93.6 | 78.5 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 92.7 | 74.4 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | 91.1 | 68.2 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 89.4 | 63.9 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 86.4 | 56.5 |
BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 for metropolitan statistical areas that include part of Virginia.
Modelled monthly budget at Virginia average prices
1 adult · 1-bedroom · modelled estimate for Virginia (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,301 | $15,612 | 44% |
| Utilities | $267 | $3,204 | 9% |
| Food at home | $283 | $3,396 | 9% |
| Transportation | $618 | $7,416 | 21% |
| Health care | $352 | $4,224 | 12% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $168 | $2,016 | 6% |
| Total | $2,989 | $35,868 | 100% |
2 adults · 2-bedroom · modelled estimate for Virginia (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,295 | $15,540 | 29% |
| Utilities | $423 | $5,076 | 10% |
| Food at home | $523 | $6,276 | 12% |
| Transportation | $1,225 | $14,700 | 28% |
| Health care | $653 | $7,836 | 15% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $331 | $3,972 | 7% |
| Total | $4,450 | $53,400 | 100% |
2 adults + 2 children · 3-bedroom · modelled estimate for Virginia (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,469 | $17,628 | 27% |
| Utilities | $515 | $6,180 | 10% |
| Food at home | $745 | $8,940 | 14% |
| Transportation | $1,625 | $19,500 | 30% |
| Health care | $608 | $7,296 | 11% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $426 | $5,112 | 8% |
| Total | $5,388 | $64,656 | 100% |
state figures Rents are Census ACS state medians by bedrooms. See the methodology.
Electricity and gas and inflation
Residential electricity
17.64¢/kWh, August 2026
12-month change +11.3% · US 18.16¢
Regular gasoline regional figure: Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)
$3.69/gal, week of 2026-11-02
12-month change +30.9% · US $4.15
Consumer prices in the South region rose +3.4% over the 12 months to September 2026 (US +3.7%; BLS CPI-U).
Price level history
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 100.1 | 101.0 | 102.3 | 102.0 | 101.3 | 101.1 |
Change over the period: +1.1 points. Each year is measured relative to that year's US average.
Frequently asked questions
Is Virginia an expensive state to live in?
Virginia has a cost of living index of 101.1 (US = 100), 1.1% above the US average. It ranks 16th of 51 (1 = most expensive). Housing is 106.8 (rank 17), goods 100.4, utilities 92.2 and other services 100.2. Source: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
How much does it cost to live in Virginia?
At Virginia state-average prices, our modelled monthly budget is $2,989 for a single adult, $4,450 for a couple and $5,388 for a family of four, before taxes and child care. Costs vary widely within the state: metro areas average 102.6 and nonmetro areas 88.4.
What is the median rent and home value in Virginia?
The median gross rent in Virginia is $1,579 a month and the median home value is $383,700 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The typical renter spends 29.4% of income on rent.
Sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 (state, state metro and nonmetro portions, MSAs).
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, state 51.
- EIA-861M residential electricity (August 2026); EIA weekly retail gasoline (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C), 2026-11-02).
- BLS CPI-U, South region (September 2026).
Budgets are modelled estimates, not observed spending. Not financial advice. Methodology