Alexandria, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Alexandria, VA Summary

Cost of living in Alexandria research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Alexandria is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Alexandria is 158, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Alexandria is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Alexandria ranks as the #156 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Alexandria ranks as the #5,857 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alexandria is $664,851.

  • The median income in Alexandria is $113,638.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
158
Alexandria's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Alexandria, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alexandria has an overall cost of living index of 158, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Alexandria has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Alexandria ranks as #156 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Alexandria ranks as the #34 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Alexandria, check out:

156 out of 190
In Virginia
5,857 out of 6,489
In America

Alexandria Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Alexandria. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Alexandria is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Alexandria is 115.

  • The Health index in Alexandria is 107.

  • The Housing index in Alexandria is 274.

  • The Transportation index in Alexandria is 111.

  • The Utilities index in Alexandria is 103.

Living Expense Alexandria Virginia National Average
Overall 158 110 100
Services 108 101 100
Groceries 115 99 100
Health 107 98 100
Housing 274 130 100
Transportation 111 94 100
Utilities 103 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Alexandria Cost of Living Vs. VA

Alexandria, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Alexandria is $664,851.

  • The Median Rent in Alexandria is $2,031.

  • The Median Income in Alexandria is $113,638.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alexandria is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Alexandria is 0.21x.

Statistic Alexandria Virginia United States
Median Home Value $664,851 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $2,031 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $113,638 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.9x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$664,851
Median Home Value
$2,031
Median Rent
$113,638
Median Income

Alexandria, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Alexandria Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $13.08 $12.13
Bowling $24.34 $18
Haircut $25.51 $24.26
Beauty Salon $47.63 $45.56

Detailed Alexandria Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Ground Beef $6.08 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.68 $4.67
Potatoes $5.3 $4.93
Pizza $12.49 $12.09
Beer $10.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Alexandria Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Optometrist $120.12 $125.68
Doctor $135.82 $135.78
Dentist $98.77 $113.29

Detailed Alexandria Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.7 $59.92

Detailed Alexandria Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
All Electricity $213.29 $193.99
Phone $184.83 $192.25

Alexandria SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
7
Amenities
10
Education
8.5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Alexandria

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Alexandria. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Arlington, VA has a cost of living index of 178, 1.1x Alexandria.

  • Lincolnia, VA has a cost of living index of 148, 0.9x Alexandria.

  • Kemp Mill, MD has a cost of living index of 145, 0.9x Alexandria.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alexandria
Arlington, VA 235,463 178 1.1x
Lincolnia, VA 19,913 148 0.9x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 0.9x
Colesville, MD 14,075 140 0.9x
Groveton, VA 13,563 145 0.9x
Huntington, VA 13,250 143 0.9x
Travilah, MD 11,128 224 1.4x
Lake Barcroft, VA 10,678 171 1.1x
Chevy Chase, MD 9,484 257 1.6x
Seven Corners, VA 9,171 139 0.9x

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