Cost of living in Alexandria: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Alexandria sits 8.9% above the US average: in 2024, BEA put the regional price parity (RPP) of the Washington, DC metro area at 108.9, against 100 for the US, and housing alone at 151.1.
- Level of prices
- 108.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 151.1. for rents, US = 100.
Index of cost of living in Alexandria
A regional price parity compares the cost of one basket of goods and services in a place with the US average, which is set at 100. BEA prices one metro area as a whole, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV region that includes Alexandria. Housing (rents) differs most from the US average, at 151.1, which puts it 51.1% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Washington, DC metro | Virginia | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 108.9 | 101.1 | +8.9% |
| Goods | 104.8 | 100.4 | +4.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 151.1 | 106.8 | +51.1% |
| Utilities | 106.7 | 92.2 | +6.7% |
| Other services | 102.3 | 100.2 | +2.3% |
Source: 2024 regional price parities for metro areas and states, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parity data
Rent costs in Alexandria
For Alexandria, the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent for homes listed now at $2,275 a month, −0.7% on a year. In the US the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent counts every renting household, not only new leases, and it is $2,110. One year of asking rent equals 22% of the median household income.
| Rent | Alexandria | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,275 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | −0.7% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $2,110 | $1,487 |
| A full year of asking rent, as a portion of median incomes | 22% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, with one-year estimates.
Prices of homes in Alexandria
For Alexandria, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) shows a typical home worth $662,843 as of September 2026. That index measures home values in the middle of the market. Over a year, that is 1.0% more, while the US figure is $366,157. For the typical home, the price equals 5.3 years of median household income, while the US figure is 4.5 years.
| Home prices | Alexandria | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $662,843 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.0% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +45.0% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 24.3 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart going back to 2000: Alexandria housing market.
What salary you need to live in Alexandria
Two questions set the salary you would need in Alexandria to buy what your pay buys today: your location and what you earn.
- Moving from where you are now
- Salary
The method and all cities side by side: city cost of living comparison.
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Alexandria cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rent level | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | 108.9 | 151.1 | $2,275 | $662,843 |
| Virginia Beach | 97.9 | 99.8 | $2,098 | $424,785 |
| Arlington, Virginia | 108.9 | 151.1 | $2,680 | $801,809 |
| Richmond | 97.9 | 99.1 | $1,628 | $361,844 |
| Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | $1,749 | $310,673 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
BEA regional price parities for 2024 give the price levels, with US = 100. Rent: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: city cost of living comparison. Every state: cost of living in each state.