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 124, 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 112.
The standard of living in Charlottesville ranks as #84 most affordable out of the 188 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Charlottesville ranks as the #104 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Charlottesville, check out:
Charlottesville Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Charlottesville. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Charlottesville is 105.
The Groceries index in Charlottesville is 105.
The Health index in Charlottesville is 163.
The Housing index in Charlottesville is 104.
The Transportation index in Charlottesville is 107.
The Utilities index in Charlottesville is 100.
| Living Expense | Charlottesville | Virginia | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 124 | 112 | 100 |
| Services | 105 | 103 | 100 |
| Groceries | 105 | 104 | 100 |
| Health | 163 | 131 | 100 |
| Housing | 104 | 105 | 100 |
| Transportation | 107 | 105 | 100 |
| Utilities | 100 | 104 | 100 |
Charlottesville Cost Of Living Compared To Virginia Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Charlottesville Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Charlottesville is $515,217.
The Median Rent in Charlottesville is $1,540.
The Median Income in Charlottesville is $74,824.
The Home Value To Income in Charlottesville is 6.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Charlottesville is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Charlottesville | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $515,217 | $412,467 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,540 | $1,579 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $74,824 | $93,170 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.9x | 4.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
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
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 109, 0.9x Charlottesville.
Staunton, VA has a cost of living index of 102, 0.8x Charlottesville.
Waynesboro, VA has a cost of living index of 99, 0.8x Charlottesville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Charlottesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 51,392 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Staunton, VA | 25,948 | 102 | 0.8x |
| Waynesboro, VA | 22,841 | 99 | 0.8x |
| Stuarts Draft, VA | 11,780 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Lake Monticello, VA | 10,662 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Crozet, VA | 9,289 | 136 | 1.1x |
| University of Virginia, VA | 9,065 | 128 | 1.0x |
| Hollymead, VA | 8,482 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Lake of the Woods, VA | 7,984 | 119 | 1.0x |
