Portsmouth, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Portsmouth, VA Summary

Cost of living in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth is 104, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portsmouth is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #61 cheapest in Virginia out of 186.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #3,585 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portsmouth is $182,700.

  • The median income in Portsmouth is $54,020.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
104
Portsmouth's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portsmouth, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portsmouth has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Portsmouth has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Virginia's index of 102.

The standard of living in Portsmouth ranks as #61 most affordable out of the 186 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Portsmouth ranks as the #125 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Portsmouth, check out:

61 out of 186
In Virginia
3,585 out of 6,412
In America

Portsmouth Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Portsmouth is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Portsmouth is 100.

  • The Health index in Portsmouth is 109.

  • The Housing index in Portsmouth is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Portsmouth is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Portsmouth is 111.

Living Expense Portsmouth Virginia National Average
Overall 104 102 100
Services 109 102 100
Groceries 100 98 100
Health 109 102 100
Housing 97 107 100
Transportation 108 95 100
Utilities 111 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Portsmouth Cost of Living Vs. VA

Portsmouth, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Portsmouth is $182,700.

  • The Median Rent in Portsmouth is $1,116.

  • The Median Income in Portsmouth is $54,020.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portsmouth is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portsmouth is 0.25x.

Statistic Portsmouth Virginia United States
Median Home Value $182,700 $295,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,116 $1,326 $1,163
Median Income $54,020 $80,615 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Portsmouth, VA
$182,700
Median Home Value
$1,116
Median Rent
$54,020
Median Income

Portsmouth, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Portsmouth Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Portsmouth Virginia
Shampoo $0.94 $1.06
Movie $10.99 $10.68
Bowling $17.82 $14.67
Haircut $12.9 $18.62
Beauty Salon $41.19 $39.05

Detailed Portsmouth Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Portsmouth Virginia
Ground Beef $4.76 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.0 $1.39
Milk $2.12 $2.05
Potatoes $4.28 $3.29
Pizza $11.15 $10.62
Beer $10.06 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.46 $2.34

Detailed Portsmouth Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Portsmouth Virginia
Optometrist $98.67 $108.57
Doctor $130.0 $116.17
Dentist $115.5 $99.13

Detailed Portsmouth Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Portsmouth Virginia
Gasoline $2.37 $2.22
Tire Balancing $53.33 $50.07

Detailed Portsmouth Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Portsmouth Virginia
All Electricity $198.58 $167.67
Phone $179.92 $175.64

Portsmouth SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portsmouth

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

  • Virginia Beach, VA has a cost of living index of 117, 1.1x Portsmouth.

  • Chesapeake, VA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Portsmouth.

  • Norfolk, VA has a cost of living index of 107, 1.0x Portsmouth.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portsmouth
Virginia Beach, VA 457,658 117 1.1x
Chesapeake, VA 247,172 115 1.1x
Norfolk, VA 238,556 107 1.0x
Newport News, VA 185,069 102 1.0x
Hampton, VA 136,748 99 1.0x
Suffolk, VA 93,268 109 1.0x
Poquoson, VA 12,382 113 1.1x
Smithfield, VA 8,513 111 1.1x
Carrollton, VA 7,171 114 1.1x

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