Arlington, VA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Arlington, VA Summary
Cost of living in Arlington 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 Arlington 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 Arlington is 178, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Arlington is 1.8x higher than the national average.
Arlington ranks as the #178 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Arlington ranks as the #6,166 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Arlington is $808,201.
The median income in Arlington is $140,160.
Table Of Contents
Arlington's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Arlington, VA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Arlington has an overall cost of living index of 178, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Arlington has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Arlington ranks as #178 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Arlington ranks as the #12 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Arlington, check out:
In Virginia
In America
Arlington Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Arlington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Arlington is 109.
The Groceries index in Arlington is 116.
The Health index in Arlington is 110.
The Housing index in Arlington is 341.
The Transportation index in Arlington is 101.
The Utilities index in Arlington is 100.
| Living Expense | Arlington | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 178 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 116 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 341 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 100 | 104 | 100 | |
Arlington, 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 Arlington is $808,201.
The Median Rent in Arlington is $2,275.
The Median Income in Arlington is $140,160.
The Home Value To Income in Arlington is 5.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Arlington is 0.19x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Arlington, VA Costs By Category
Detailed Arlington Services Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Arlington Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Arlington Health Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Arlington Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Arlington Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia
Arlington SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Arlington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Arlington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Alexandria, VA has a cost of living index of 158, 0.9x Arlington.
Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 0.9x Arlington.
West Falls Church, VA has a cost of living index of 153, 0.9x Arlington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, VA | 156,788 | 158 | 0.9x |
| Olney, MD | 36,000 | 153 | 0.9x |
| West Falls Church, VA | 30,660 | 153 | 0.9x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 1.0x |
| Lincolnia, VA | 19,913 | 148 | 0.8x |
| Idylwood, VA | 17,469 | 158 | 0.9x |
| Falls Church, VA | 14,593 | 187 | 1.1x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 0.8x |
| Colesville, MD | 14,075 | 140 | 0.8x |
| Travilah, MD | 11,128 | 224 | 1.3x |
