Alexandria, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 150, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Alexandria is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Alexandria ranks as the #150 cheapest in Virginia out of 186.

  • Alexandria ranks as the #5,843 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alexandria is $579,100.

  • The median income in Alexandria is $105,450.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
150
Alexandria's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
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 150, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Alexandria has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than Virginia's index of 102.

The standard of living in Alexandria ranks as #150 most affordable out of the 186 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Alexandria ranks as the #36 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Alexandria, check out:

150 out of 186
In Virginia
5,843 out of 6,412
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 106.

  • The Groceries index in Alexandria is 119.

  • The Health index in Alexandria is 102.

  • The Housing index in Alexandria is 249.

  • The Transportation index in Alexandria is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Alexandria is 98.

Living Expense Alexandria Virginia National Average
Overall 150 102 100
Services 106 102 100
Groceries 119 98 100
Health 102 102 100
Housing 249 107 100
Transportation 102 95 100
Utilities 98 102 100
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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Alexandria is $579,100.

  • The Median Rent in Alexandria is $1,848.

  • The Median Income in Alexandria is $105,450.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alexandria is 5.5x.

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

Statistic Alexandria Virginia United States
Median Home Value $579,100 $295,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,848 $1,326 $1,163
Median Income $105,450 $80,615 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.5x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Alexandria, VA
$579,100
Median Home Value
$1,848
Median Rent
$105,450
Median Income

Alexandria, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Alexandria Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Shampoo $1.04 $1.06
Movie $12.45 $10.68
Bowling $19.83 $14.67
Haircut $25.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $56.94 $39.05

Detailed Alexandria Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Ground Beef $4.79 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.62 $1.39
Milk $2.58 $2.05
Potatoes $4.21 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $10.66 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.52 $2.34

Detailed Alexandria Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Optometrist $104.67 $108.57
Doctor $128.0 $116.17
Dentist $103.17 $99.13

Detailed Alexandria Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
Gasoline $2.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $51.0 $50.07

Detailed Alexandria Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Alexandria Virginia
All Electricity $160.85 $167.67
Phone $177.97 $175.64

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 167, 1.1x Alexandria.

  • Lincolnia, VA has a cost of living index of 146, 1.0x Alexandria.

  • Kemp Mill, MD has a cost of living index of 141, 0.9x Alexandria.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alexandria
Arlington, VA 235,764 167 1.1x
Lincolnia, VA 20,704 146 1.0x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,509 141 0.9x
Colesville, MD 14,468 140 0.9x
Groveton, VA 14,402 138 0.9x
Huntington, VA 13,979 132 0.9x
Travilah, MD 11,052 227 1.5x
Lake Barcroft, VA 10,682 164 1.1x
Chevy Chase, MD 9,889 204 1.4x
Seven Corners, VA 9,191 128 0.9x

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