South ranking
12 Virginia cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 72
Index 176
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roanoke | 72 | $917/mo | $51,523 | 99K | Compare → |
| 2 | Lynchburg | 77 | $972/mo | $56,243 | 79K | Compare → |
| 3 | Norfolk | 94 | $1,188/mo | $60,998 | 237K | Compare → |
| 4 | Newport News | 95 | $1,209/mo | $63,355 | 185K | Compare → |
| 5 | Portsmouth | 97 | $1,225/mo | $57,154 | 97K | Compare → |
| 6 | Richmond | 97 | $1,227/mo | $59,606 | 227K | Compare → |
| 7 | Hampton | 99 | $1,255/mo | $64,430 | 137K | Compare → |
| 8 | Suffolk | 109 | $1,376/mo | $87,758 | 95K | Compare → |
| 9 | Chesapeake | 114 | $1,446/mo | $92,703 | 249K | Compare → |
| 10 | Virginia Beach | 124 | $1,568/mo | $87,544 | 458K | Compare → |
| 11 | Alexandria | 156 | $1,983/mo | $113,179 | 158K | Compare → |
| 12 | Arlington | 176 | $2,227/mo | $137,387 | 236K | Compare → |
Across Virginia, Roanoke is the most affordable city we track (cost index 72, with median rent around $917/mo), while Arlington sits at the top of the range with an index of 176—roughly 143% pricier than Roanoke. Use the table above to compare any Virginia city directly against Roanoke.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.