Virginia
VASouth · 10 cities tracked · Updated 2026
Virginia is more expensive than the national average. Across the 10 cities we track, the cost of living index averages 106 (US = 100) and typical rent averages $1,606 a month, 17% below the national figure of $1,932.
State Averages
Avg Gas Price
$4.03
Regular unleaded
Avg Rent
$1,606
All units/mo
Avg COL Index
106
vs. 100 national avg
Virginia Cost of Living Analysis
Where the money goes
The biggest break is rent, at 17% below it.
Rent trend
Rent rose an average of 3.9% over the past year across the 10 cities we track, faster than the 2.7% national change. Virginia Beach saw the biggest move (up 7.1%), while Charlottesville was up just 1.6%.
City to city
Where you live inside Virginia matters. Typical rent runs from $1,120 in Danville to $2,040 in Charlottesville, a gap of $920 a month or about $11,040 a year.
Affordability
Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 36% of median household income in the counties we track, which ranks the 8th lowest of 51 states. Median household income there averages $85,135 (Census ACS 2023). Groceries are counted at what the average household in the region spends on food at home (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
Energy and driving
Regular gas costs $4.03 a gallon, 1% above the $3.98 national average. A typical electric bill runs about $159 a month versus $166 nationally, and full coverage car insurance averages $1,880 a year versus $2,150.
Groceries
Grocery prices in the South rose 1.7% over the past year (BLS food at home), compared with 1.8% nationally. Item prices on our city pages are national BLS averages, so local stores may be higher or lower.
Built from the AAA, Zillow, EIA, Bankrate, BLS and Census data on this site. National comparisons use typical rent of $1,932 a month and gas of $3.98 a gallon. See the methodology.
Cities in Virginia
Richmond
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,706
Food ↑
+1.8%
Virginia Beach
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,886
Food ↑
+1.8%
Roanoke
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,400
Food ↑
+1.8%
Lynchburg
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,288
Food ↑
+1.8%
Charlottesville
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$2,040
Food ↑
+1.8%
Blacksburg
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,659
Food ↑
+1.8%
Winchester
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,825
Food ↑
+1.8%
Harrisonburg
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,691
Food ↑
+1.8%
Staunton
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,448
Food ↑
+1.8%
Danville
Virginia
Gas
$4.03
Rent
$1,120
Food ↑
+1.8%
Median Household Income by County
Source: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · 133 counties
| County | Median Income |
|---|---|
| 1Loudoun County | $178,707 |
| 2Falls Church city | $154,734 |
| 3Fairfax County | $150,113 |
| 4Arlington County | $140,160 |
| 5Stafford County | $133,792 |
| 6Fairfax city | $132,774 |
| 7Fauquier County | $129,495 |
| 8Prince William County | $128,873 |
| 9Poquoson city | $120,919 |
| 10New Kent County | $120,125 |
| 11Goochland County | $118,695 |
| 12Manassas city | $117,919 |
| 13Clarke County | $114,185 |
| 14Alexandria city | $113,638 |
| 15Powhatan County | $110,667 |
| 16King George County | $110,517 |
| 17Spotsylvania County | $109,576 |
| 18Hanover County | $109,504 |
| 19York County | $108,326 |
| 20James City County | $107,046 |
| 21Albemarle County | $102,617 |
| 22Manassas Park city | $100,668 |
| 23Chesterfield County | $98,910 |
| 24Rappahannock County | $98,125 |
| 25Isle of Wight County | $96,118 |
| 26Culpeper County | $96,098 |
| 27Frederick County | $95,603 |
| 28Chesapeake city | $94,189 |
| 29Orange County | $94,175 |
| 30Fluvanna County | $91,959 |
| 31Virginia Beach city | $90,685 |
| 32Suffolk city | $90,089 |
| 33Lexington city | $89,598 |
| 34Prince George County | $88,225 |
| 35Henrico County | $86,397 |
| 36Caroline County | $86,267 |
| 37Fredericksburg city | $85,368 |
| 38Greene County | $85,268 |
| 39King William County | $85,212 |
| 40Warren County | $84,331 |
| 41Dinwiddie County | $83,898 |
| 42Gloucester County | $83,689 |
| 43Madison County | $82,972 |
| 44Roanoke County | $82,931 |
| 45Botetourt County | $80,467 |
| 46Louisa County | $80,343 |
| 47Augusta County | $79,972 |
| 48Rockingham County | $78,468 |
| 49Bedford County | $77,644 |
| 50Colonial Heights city | $76,250 |
| 51Mathews County | $75,487 |
| 52Middlesex County | $74,154 |
| 53King and Queen County | $72,851 |
| 54Surry County | $71,458 |
| 55Montgomery County | $70,769 |
| 56Charles City County | $70,339 |
| 57Williamsburg city | $70,206 |
| 58Charlottesville city | $69,829 |
| 59Northumberland County | $69,500 |
| 60Nelson County | $68,525 |
| 61Southampton County | $68,465 |
| 62Franklin County | $68,348 |
| 63Craig County | $67,778 |
| 64Hampton city | $67,758 |
| 65Amherst County | $67,298 |
| 66Lancaster County | $67,169 |
| 67Newport News city | $66,718 |
| 68Salem city | $66,716 |
| 69Amelia County | $66,339 |
| 70Franklin city | $65,125 |
| 71Giles County | $64,819 |
| 72Winchester city | $64,648 |
| 73Shenandoah County | $64,437 |
| 74Richmond County | $64,184 |
| 75Norfolk city | $64,017 |
| 76Rockbridge County | $63,975 |
| 77Highland County | $62,946 |
| 78Sussex County | $62,821 |
| 79Washington County | $62,774 |
| 80Richmond city | $62,671 |
| 81Campbell County | $62,608 |
| 82Staunton city | $62,586 |
| 83Appomattox County | $62,337 |
| 84Nottoway County | $62,161 |
| 85Bath County | $61,709 |
| 86Floyd County | $61,401 |
| 87Bland County | $61,375 |
| 88Pulaski County | $60,767 |
| 89Lynchburg city | $59,808 |
| 90Westmoreland County | $59,766 |
| 91Harrisonburg city | $59,752 |
| 92Page County | $59,396 |
| 93Buckingham County | $59,199 |
| 94Portsmouth city | $58,972 |
| 95Accomack County | $57,500 |
| 96Cumberland County | $57,057 |
| 97Greensville County | $56,759 |
| 98Essex County | $56,481 |
| 99Waynesboro city | $56,364 |
| 100Northampton County | $55,933 |
| 101Wythe County | $55,359 |
| 102Alleghany County | $55,160 |
| 103Prince Edward County | $55,082 |
| 104Lunenburg County | $54,460 |
| 105Buena Vista city | $54,458 |
| 106Pittsylvania County | $54,115 |
| 107Brunswick County | $52,978 |
| 108Radford city | $52,791 |
| 109Roanoke city | $52,671 |
| 110Carroll County | $52,575 |
| 111Mecklenburg County | $51,691 |
| 112Patrick County | $50,938 |
| 113Petersburg city | $50,741 |
| 114Wise County | $50,740 |
| 115Emporia city | $49,375 |
| 116Halifax County | $49,244 |
| 117Russell County | $49,020 |
| 118Charlotte County | $48,892 |
| 119Hopewell city | $48,681 |
| 120Henry County | $48,445 |
| 121Smyth County | $46,859 |
| 122Tazewell County | $45,788 |
| 123Scott County | $45,136 |
| 124Bristol city | $44,706 |
| 125Dickenson County | $43,831 |
| 126Grayson County | $42,864 |
| 127Danville city | $42,778 |
| 128Covington city | $42,724 |
| 129Martinsville city | $42,434 |
| 130Lee County | $42,269 |
| 131Buchanan County | $42,216 |
| 132Galax city | $41,438 |
| 133Norton city | $38,497 |
Virginia Cost of Living FAQ
Is Virginia expensive to live in?
Virginia is about 6% more expensive than the national average. Across the 10 cities we track, the cost of living index averages 106, where 100 is the US average.
What is the average rent in Virginia?
Typical rent in Virginia averages $1,606 a month across the 10 cities we track as of September 2026, 17% below the national typical rent of $1,932. That ranks near the middle of 51 states. The figure is the Zillow Observed Rent Index for all home types.
What is the cheapest city to live in Virginia?
Of the 10 cities we track in Virginia, Virginia Beach has the lowest cost of living index at 98. The lowest typical rent is in Danville, at $1,120 a month.
What is the most expensive city in Virginia?
Roanoke has the highest cost of living index of the cities we track in Virginia, at 108. The highest typical rent is in Charlottesville, at $2,040 a month.
How much is gas in Virginia?
Regular unleaded averages $4.03 a gallon in Virginia as of November 11, 2026 (AAA state average), 1% above the national average of $3.98. That is near the middle of 51 states.
Is rent going up in Virginia?
Rent in Virginia rose an average of 3.9% over the past year across the 10 cities we track, compared with a 2.7% change nationally.
How much is electricity in Virginia?
Residential electricity in Virginia averages 17.6 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill is about $159.
How much is car insurance in Virginia?
Full coverage car insurance in Virginia averages $1,880 a year, or about $157 a month (Bankrate and NAIC), compared with $2,150 a year nationally. That is near the middle of 51 states.