CostIndexUSA

Charlottesville, VA vs Lansing, MI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

VA
Charlottesville
99.1
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
More AffordableMI
Lansing
95
overall index
$1,300/mo rent

Lansing is slightly cheaper than Charlottesville — 4.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charlottesville, you would need $76,700 in Lansing. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing22.0%
Charlottesville
107
Lansing
83.5
🛒 Groceries3.2%
Charlottesville
96.8
Lansing
93.7
🚗 Transportation+1.0%
Charlottesville
103.5
Lansing
104.5
🏥 Healthcare+1.0%
Charlottesville
93.7
Lansing
94.6
Utilities+7.3%
Charlottesville
89
Lansing
95.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Lansing, MI
$76,700
$3,300 less needed in Lansing

Formula: salary × (95 ÷ 99.1) = salary × 0.9586. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charlottesville, VA

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

Lansing, MI

Median Home Price
$234,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
83.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.0×

Charlottesville has 22.0% lower housing costs compared to Lansing.

Income & Job Market

Charlottesville, VA

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

Lansing, MI

Median Household Income
$70,000
Per Capita Income
$39,900
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
112,644
Top Industries
GovernmentAutomotiveHealthcareEducationFinance

Affordability at a Glance

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

Charlottesville, VA
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Lansing, MI
4.5×income-to-rent ratio

78% 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.