City comparison
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 | 11.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $655,700 | $833,300 | 21.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $113,179 | $137,387 | 17.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.9 | 101.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 87.6 | 87.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 90.0 | 90.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 92.8 | 92.8 | ≈ 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 $112,303 in Arlington to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Alexandria, VA is about 11% cheaper overall than Arlington, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Alexandria than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $89,842 in Arlington to keep the same standard of living.