McLean, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In McLean, VA Summary

Cost of living in McLean 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 McLean 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 McLean is 227, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in McLean is 2.3x higher than the national average.

  • McLean ranks as the #189 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • McLean ranks as the #6,400 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in McLean is $1,405,990.

  • The median income in McLean is $250,001.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
227
McLean's Overall Cost Of Living
2.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in McLean, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, McLean has an overall cost of living index of 227, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, McLean has a cost of living index that's 2.1x higher than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in McLean ranks as #189 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies McLean ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in McLean, check out:

189 out of 190
In Virginia
6,400 out of 6,489
In America

McLean Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in McLean is 109.

  • The Groceries index in McLean is 107.

  • The Health index in McLean is 98.

  • The Housing index in McLean is 502.

  • The Transportation index in McLean is 96.

  • The Utilities index in McLean is 110.

Living Expense McLean Virginia National Average
Overall 227 110 100
Services 109 101 100
Groceries 107 99 100
Health 98 98 100
Housing 502 130 100
Transportation 96 94 100
Utilities 110 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
McLean Cost of Living Vs. VA

McLean, 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 McLean is $1,405,990.

  • The Median Rent in McLean is $3,376.

  • The Median Income in McLean is $250,001.

  • The Home Value To Income in McLean is 5.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in McLean is 0.16x.

Statistic McLean Virginia United States
Median Home Value $1,405,990 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $3,376 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $250,001 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.6x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,405,990
Median Home Value
$3,376
Median Rent
$250,001
Median Income

McLean, VA Costs By Category

Detailed McLean Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item McLean Virginia
Shampoo $1.51 $1.28
Movie $15.69 $12.13
Bowling $24.83 $18
Haircut $26.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $70.08 $45.56

Detailed McLean Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item McLean Virginia
Ground Beef $6.24 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $5.49 $4.93
Pizza $12.56 $12.09
Beer $11.1 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed McLean Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item McLean Virginia
Optometrist $92.0 $125.68
Doctor $135.03 $135.78
Dentist $117.67 $113.29

Detailed McLean Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item McLean Virginia
Gasoline $3.25 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.0 $59.92

Detailed McLean Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item McLean Virginia
All Electricity $222.47 $193.99
Phone $197.37 $192.25

Mclean SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around McLean

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

  • Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 199, 0.9x McLean.

  • Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 0.7x McLean.

  • North Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 172, 0.8x McLean.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. McLean
Potomac, MD 46,230 199 0.9x
Olney, MD 36,000 153 0.7x
North Potomac, MD 23,994 172 0.8x
Idylwood, VA 17,469 158 0.7x
Vienna, VA 16,369 185 0.8x
Falls Church, VA 14,593 187 0.8x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 0.6x
Colesville, MD 14,075 140 0.6x
Travilah, MD 11,128 224 1.0x
Chevy Chase, MD 9,484 257 1.1x

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