Suffolk, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Suffolk, VA Summary

Cost of living in Suffolk 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk is 112, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Suffolk is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Suffolk ranks as the #67 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Suffolk ranks as the #3,863 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Suffolk is $374,073.

  • The median income in Suffolk is $90,089.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
112
Suffolk's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Suffolk, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Suffolk has an overall cost of living index of 112, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Suffolk has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Suffolk ranks as #67 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Suffolk ranks as the #123 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Suffolk, check out:

67 out of 190
In Virginia
3,863 out of 6,489
In America

Suffolk Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Suffolk is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Suffolk is 100.

  • The Health index in Suffolk is 98.

  • The Housing index in Suffolk is 141.

  • The Transportation index in Suffolk is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Suffolk is 106.

Living Expense Suffolk Virginia National Average
Overall 112 110 100
Services 101 101 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 98 98 100
Housing 141 130 100
Transportation 101 94 100
Utilities 106 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Suffolk Cost of Living Vs. VA

Suffolk, 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 Suffolk is $374,073.

  • The Median Rent in Suffolk is $1,484.

  • The Median Income in Suffolk is $90,089.

  • The Home Value To Income in Suffolk is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Suffolk is 0.2x.

Statistic Suffolk Virginia United States
Median Home Value $374,073 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $1,484 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $90,089 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.2x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.21x
$374,073
Median Home Value
$1,484
Median Rent
$90,089
Median Income

Suffolk, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Suffolk Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Suffolk Virginia
Shampoo $1.26 $1.28
Movie $13.31 $12.13
Bowling $24.17 $18
Haircut $20.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.17 $45.56

Detailed Suffolk Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Suffolk Virginia
Ground Beef $5.54 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.44 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $12.72 $12.09
Beer $10.64 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Suffolk Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Suffolk Virginia
Optometrist $95.44 $125.68
Doctor $122.83 $135.78
Dentist $109.67 $113.29

Detailed Suffolk Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Suffolk Virginia
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.0 $59.92

Detailed Suffolk Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Suffolk Virginia
All Electricity $227.22 $193.99
Phone $185.33 $192.25

Suffolk SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
7
Diversity
9
Safety
5
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Suffolk

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Suffolk. 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 116, 1.0x Suffolk.

  • Chesapeake, VA has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Suffolk.

  • Norfolk, VA has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Suffolk.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Suffolk
Virginia Beach, VA 457,066 116 1.0x
Chesapeake, VA 251,153 117 1.0x
Norfolk, VA 235,037 103 0.9x
Newport News, VA 184,774 104 0.9x
Hampton, VA 137,334 102 0.9x
Elizabeth, NJ 135,887 120 1.1x
Poquoson, VA 12,556 124 1.1x
Gloucester Point, VA 11,159 108 1.0x
Smithfield, VA 8,729 115 1.0x
Franklin, VA 8,212 100 0.9x

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