Cost of Living: Arlington, VA vs Richmond, VA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,181/mo in Arlington, VA versus $4,181/mo in Richmond, VA. In the model, rent is about 33.15% of gross in Arlington, VA versus 19.15% in Richmond, VA, so Richmond, VA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Arlington, VA and Richmond, VA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Richmond, VA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Richmond, VA
- Lower home prices: Richmond, VA
- Higher median household income: Arlington, VA
Cost of Living Index
Arlington, VA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Richmond, VA: 93.8 (U.S. = 100)
Richmond, VA has a lower cost-of-living index than Arlington, VA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Arlington, VA: $2,162/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Richmond, VA: $1,249/mo
Median rent in Arlington, VA is $913/mo higher than in Richmond, VA.
Median Home Price
Arlington, VA: $864,800 · Richmond, VA: $328,100
Median home price in Arlington, VA is $536,700 higher than in Richmond, VA.
Median Household Income
Arlington, VA: $140,160 · Richmond, VA: $62,671
Arlington, VA has a higher median household income than Richmond, VA by $77,489.
Arlington, VA overview · Richmond, VA overview · Popular comparisons