Charlottesville, VA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Charlottesville, VA Summary
Cost of living in Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Charlottesville is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Charlottesville ranks as the #85 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Charlottesville ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Charlottesville is $506,487.
The median income in Charlottesville is $69,829.
Table Of Contents
Charlottesville's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Charlottesville, VA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Charlottesville has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Charlottesville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Charlottesville ranks as #85 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Charlottesville ranks as the #105 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Charlottesville, check out:
In Virginia
In America
Charlottesville Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Charlottesville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Charlottesville is 105.
The Groceries index in Charlottesville is 100.
The Health index in Charlottesville is 94.
The Housing index in Charlottesville is 164.
The Transportation index in Charlottesville is 94.
The Utilities index in Charlottesville is 106.
| Living Expense | Charlottesville | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 164 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 104 | 100 | |
Charlottesville, 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 Charlottesville is $506,487.
The Median Rent in Charlottesville is $1,453.
The Median Income in Charlottesville is $69,829.
The Home Value To Income in Charlottesville is 7.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Charlottesville is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Charlottesville | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $506,487 | $404,962 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,453 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $69,829 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.3x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Charlottesville, VA Costs By Category
Detailed Charlottesville Services Costs Vs. Virginia
| Item | Charlottesville | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.71 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.32 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $25.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.97 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.19 | $45.56 |
Detailed Charlottesville Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia
| Item | Charlottesville | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.34 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.78 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.33 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.47 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.67 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.7 |
Detailed Charlottesville Health Costs Vs. Virginia
| Item | Charlottesville | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $121.84 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $168.85 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $135.19 | $113.29 |
Detailed Charlottesville Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia
| Item | Charlottesville | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.49 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.76 | $59.92 |
Detailed Charlottesville Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia
| Item | Charlottesville | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.35 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $184.83 | $192.25 |
Charlottesville SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Charlottesville
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Charlottesville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Harrisonburg, VA has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Charlottesville.
Staunton, VA has a cost of living index of 99, 0.8x Charlottesville.
Waynesboro, VA has a cost of living index of 97, 0.8x Charlottesville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Charlottesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 51,492 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Staunton, VA | 25,765 | 99 | 0.8x |
| Waynesboro, VA | 22,574 | 97 | 0.8x |
| Stuarts Draft, VA | 11,920 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Lake Monticello, VA | 10,820 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Crozet, VA | 9,211 | 131 | 1.1x |
| University of Virginia, VA | 9,159 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Hollymead, VA | 8,566 | 123 | 1.0x |
| Lake of the Woods, VA | 8,165 | 118 | 1.0x |
