City comparison
Alexandria, VA is about 150 miles (225 km) from Norfolk, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h 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 Norfolk, VA takes about 17 min, covering roughly 150 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.
Norfolk has a population of 236,973, vs 157,594 in Alexandria — about 1.5× larger by population. By land area, Norfolk covers about 53 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 | Norfolk | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,983/mo | $1,188/mo | 66.9% higher in Alexandria |
| Median home value | $655,700 | $254,200 | 157.9% higher in Alexandria |
| Median household income | $113,179 | $60,998 | 85.5% higher in Alexandria |
| Groceries index | 104.6 | 96.9 | 7.9% higher in Alexandria |
| Utilities index | 105.0 | 90.0 | 16.6% higher in Alexandria |
| Transportation index | 101.2 | 98.8 | 2.5% higher in Alexandria |
| Healthcare index | 101.5 | 98.3 | 3.3% higher in Alexandria |
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 $79,240 in Norfolk to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Norfolk, VA is about 20.8% cheaper overall than Alexandria, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 53% higher in Alexandria than in Norfolk. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $63,392 in Norfolk to keep the same standard of living.