Reston, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Reston, VA Summary

Cost of living in Reston 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 Reston 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 Reston is 150, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Reston is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Reston ranks as the #138 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Reston ranks as the #5,692 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Reston is $631,023.

  • The median income in Reston is $139,515.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
150
Reston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Reston, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Reston has an overall cost of living index of 150, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Reston has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Reston ranks as #138 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Reston ranks as the #52 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Reston, check out:

138 out of 190
In Virginia
5,692 out of 6,489
In America

Reston Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Reston is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Reston is 109.

  • The Health index in Reston is 95.

  • The Housing index in Reston is 255.

  • The Transportation index in Reston is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Reston is 112.

Living Expense Reston Virginia National Average
Overall 150 110 100
Services 110 101 100
Groceries 109 99 100
Health 95 98 100
Housing 255 130 100
Transportation 96 94 100
Utilities 112 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Reston Cost of Living Vs. VA

Reston, 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 Reston is $631,023.

  • The Median Rent in Reston is $2,170.

  • The Median Income in Reston is $139,515.

  • The Home Value To Income in Reston is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Reston is 0.19x.

Statistic Reston Virginia United States
Median Home Value $631,023 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $2,170 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $139,515 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.2x 0.21x
$631,023
Median Home Value
$2,170
Median Rent
$139,515
Median Income

Reston, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Reston Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Reston 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 Reston Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Reston 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 Reston Health Costs Vs. Virginia

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

Detailed Reston Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

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

Detailed Reston Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

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

Reston SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Reston

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

  • Oakton, VA has a cost of living index of 168, 1.1x Reston.

  • Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 1.0x Reston.

  • Sterling, VA has a cost of living index of 133, 0.9x Reston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Reston
Oakton, VA 36,776 168 1.1x
Olney, MD 36,000 153 1.0x
Sterling, VA 31,251 133 0.9x
Herndon, VA 24,529 143 1.0x
North Potomac, MD 23,994 172 1.1x
McNair, VA 22,451 143 1.0x
Franklin Farm, VA 18,509 171 1.1x
Wolf Trap, VA 16,020 210 1.4x
Great Falls, VA 14,854 228 1.5x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 1.0x

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