CostIndexUSA

Albany, NY vs Charlottesville, VA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNY
Albany
99.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
VA
Charlottesville
99.1
overall index
$1,950/mo rent

Albany and Charlottesville have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.3%
Albany
102.6
Charlottesville
107
🛒 Groceries2.9%
Albany
99.7
Charlottesville
96.8
🚗 Transportation+0.9%
Albany
102.6
Charlottesville
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+0.9%
Albany
92.9
Charlottesville
93.7
Utilities33.6%
Albany
134
Charlottesville
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Albany to see what you'd need to earn in Charlottesville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Charlottesville, VA
$79,600
$400 less needed in Charlottesville

Formula: salary × (99.1 ÷ 99.6) = salary × 0.9950. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albany, NY

Median Home Price
$350,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
102.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

Charlottesville, VA

Median Home Price
$455,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
107
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

Charlottesville has 4.3% higher housing costs compared to Albany.

Income & Job Market

Albany, NY

Median Household Income
$82,400
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
98,111
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationFinanceTechnology

Charlottesville, VA

Median Household Income
$92,300
Per Capita Income
$52,600
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Population
46,553
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentTourism

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Albany, NY
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Charlottesville, VA
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.