Cost of Living: Reston, VA vs Arlington, VA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,181/mo in Reston, VA versus $4,181/mo in Arlington, VA. In the model, rent is about 31.63% of gross in Reston, VA versus 33.15% in Arlington, VA, so Reston, VA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Reston, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Arlington, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Reston, VA
31.63%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Arlington, VA
33.15%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Reston, VA and Arlington, VA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Arlington, VA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Reston, VA
  • Lower home prices: Reston, VA
  • Higher median household income: Arlington, VA

Cost of Living Index

Reston, VA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Arlington, VA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Reston, VA: $2,062/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Arlington, VA: $2,162/mo

Median rent in Arlington, VA is $100/mo higher than in Reston, VA.

Median Home Price

Reston, VA: $616,000 · Arlington, VA: $864,800

Median home price in Arlington, VA is $248,800 higher than in Reston, VA.

Median Household Income

Reston, VA: $139,515 · Arlington, VA: $140,160

Arlington, VA has a higher median household income than Reston, VA by $645.

Reston, VA overview · Arlington, VA overview · Popular comparisons