Bristol, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bristol, VA Summary

Cost of living in Bristol 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 Bristol 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 Bristol is 88, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bristol is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Bristol ranks as the #10 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Bristol ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bristol is $204,839.

  • The median income in Bristol is $44,706.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Bristol's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bristol, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bristol has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Bristol has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Bristol ranks as #10 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Bristol ranks as the #180 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Bristol, check out:

10 out of 190
In Virginia
912 out of 6,489
In America

Bristol Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Bristol is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Bristol is 94.

  • The Health index in Bristol is 90.

  • The Housing index in Bristol is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Bristol is 81.

  • The Utilities index in Bristol is 97.

Living Expense Bristol Virginia National Average
Overall 88 110 100
Services 93 101 100
Groceries 94 99 100
Health 90 98 100
Housing 73 130 100
Transportation 81 94 100
Utilities 97 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Bristol Cost of Living Vs. VA

Bristol, 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 Bristol is $204,839.

  • The Median Rent in Bristol is $775.

  • The Median Income in Bristol is $44,706.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bristol is 4.6x.

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

Statistic Bristol Virginia United States
Median Home Value $204,839 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $775 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $44,706 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$204,839
Median Home Value
$775
Median Rent
$44,706
Median Income

Bristol, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Bristol Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Shampoo $1.19 $1.28
Movie $14.09 $12.13
Bowling $19.33 $18
Haircut $23.91 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.13 $45.56

Detailed Bristol Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Ground Beef $6.2 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.66 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $5.02 $4.93
Pizza $11.91 $12.09
Beer $9.97 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.58 $3.7

Detailed Bristol Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Optometrist $87.33 $125.68
Doctor $108.51 $135.78
Dentist $96.95 $113.29

Detailed Bristol Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Gasoline $3.08 $3.46
Tire Balancing $51.47 $59.92

Detailed Bristol Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
All Electricity $161.17 $193.99
Phone $192.18 $192.25

Bristol SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bristol

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

  • Kingsport, TN has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Bristol.

  • Bristol, TN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Bristol.

  • Boone, NC has a cost of living index of 111, 1.3x Bristol.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bristol
Kingsport, TN 55,807 87 1.0x
Bristol, TN 27,490 88 1.0x
Boone, NC 19,534 111 1.3x
Greeneville, TN 15,531 88 1.0x
Elizabethton, TN 14,364 91 1.0x
Bloomingdale, TN 8,840 84 1.0x
Abingdon, VA 8,332 92 1.0x
Church Hill, TN 7,057 89 1.0x
Jonesborough, TN 6,056 94 1.1x
Erwin, TN 6,001 88 1.0x

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