Buena Vista, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Buena Vista, VA Summary

Cost of living in Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista is 91, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Buena Vista ranks as the #13 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Buena Vista ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Buena Vista is $193,333.

  • The median income in Buena Vista is $54,458.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Buena Vista's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Buena Vista, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Buena Vista has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Buena Vista ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Buena Vista ranks as the #177 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Buena Vista, check out:

13 out of 190
In Virginia
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Buena Vista Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Buena Vista is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Buena Vista is 97.

  • The Health index in Buena Vista is 100.

  • The Housing index in Buena Vista is 74.

  • The Transportation index in Buena Vista is 86.

  • The Utilities index in Buena Vista is 111.

Living Expense Buena Vista Virginia National Average
Overall 91 110 100
Services 97 101 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 100 98 100
Housing 74 130 100
Transportation 86 94 100
Utilities 111 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Buena Vista Cost of Living Vs. VA

Buena Vista, 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 Buena Vista is $193,333.

  • The Median Rent in Buena Vista is $1,067.

  • The Median Income in Buena Vista is $54,458.

  • The Home Value To Income in Buena Vista is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Buena Vista is 0.24x.

Statistic Buena Vista Virginia United States
Median Home Value $193,333 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $1,067 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $54,458 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$193,333
Median Home Value
$1,067
Median Rent
$54,458
Median Income

Buena Vista, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Buena Vista Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Buena Vista Virginia
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $13.59 $12.13
Bowling $18.42 $18
Haircut $24.89 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.95 $45.56

Detailed Buena Vista Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Buena Vista Virginia
Ground Beef $5.32 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.32 $1.57
Milk $4.7 $4.67
Potatoes $5.17 $4.93
Pizza $12.24 $12.09
Beer $10.69 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.79 $3.7

Detailed Buena Vista Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Buena Vista Virginia
Optometrist $136.88 $125.68
Doctor $139.83 $135.78
Dentist $105.92 $113.29

Detailed Buena Vista Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Buena Vista Virginia
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.24 $59.92

Detailed Buena Vista Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Buena Vista Virginia
All Electricity $213.27 $193.99
Phone $184.83 $192.25

Buena Vista SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
5
Diversity
6
Safety
9
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Buena Vista

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

  • Lynchburg, VA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Buena Vista.

  • Cave Spring, VA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Buena Vista.

  • Staunton, VA has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Buena Vista.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Buena Vista
Lynchburg, VA 79,255 93 1.0x
Cave Spring, VA 26,014 106 1.2x
Staunton, VA 25,765 99 1.1x
Salem, VA 25,477 100 1.1x
Waynesboro, VA 22,574 97 1.1x
Hollins, VA 17,005 100 1.1x
Stuarts Draft, VA 11,920 104 1.1x
Madison Heights, VA 10,398 92 1.0x
Vinton, VA 8,038 95 1.0x
Lexington, VA 7,420 104 1.1x

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