Cost of Living: Richmond, 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 Richmond, VA versus $4,181/mo in Arlington, VA. In the model, rent is about 19.15% of gross in Richmond, VA versus 33.15% in Arlington, VA, so Richmond, VA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Richmond, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Arlington, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Richmond, VA
19.15%
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 Richmond, VA and Arlington, 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

Richmond, VA: 93.8 (U.S. = 100) · Arlington, VA: 100 (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

Richmond, VA: $1,249/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Arlington, VA: $2,162/mo

Median rent in Arlington, VA is $913/mo higher than in Richmond, VA.

Median Home Price

Richmond, VA: $328,100 · Arlington, VA: $864,800

Median home price in Arlington, VA is $536,700 higher than in Richmond, VA.

Median Household Income

Richmond, VA: $62,671 · Arlington, VA: $140,160

Arlington, VA has a higher median household income than Richmond, VA by $77,489.

Richmond, VA overview · Arlington, VA overview · Popular comparisons