City comparison
Alexandria, VA is about 0 miles (10 km) from Arlington, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 5 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Alexandria, VA to Arlington, VA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 0 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Arlington has a population of 235,845, vs 157,594 in Alexandria — about 1.5× larger by population. By land area, Arlington covers about 26 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Alexandria.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alexandria | Arlington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,983/mo | $2,227/mo | 12.3% higher in Arlington |
| Median home value | $655,700 | $833,300 | 27.1% higher in Arlington |
| Median household income | $113,179 | $137,387 | 21.4% higher in Arlington |
| Groceries index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 105.0 | 105.0 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 101.2 | 101.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.5 | 101.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alexandria, you'd need $100,591 in Arlington to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Alexandria, VA is about 0.6% cheaper overall than Arlington, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $80,473 in Arlington to keep the same standard of living.