CostIndexUSA

Charlottesville, VA vs Sarasota, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableVA
Charlottesville
99.1
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
FL
Sarasota
102.4
overall index
$1,925/mo rent

Charlottesville is slightly cheaper than Sarasota — 3.3% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charlottesville, you would need $82,700 in Sarasota. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+19.6%
Charlottesville
107
Sarasota
128
🛒 Groceries0.6%
Charlottesville
96.8
Sarasota
96.2
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Charlottesville
103.5
Sarasota
103.8
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Charlottesville
93.7
Sarasota
93.9
Utilities0.9%
Charlottesville
89
Sarasota
88.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Sarasota, FL
$82,700
$2,700 more needed in Sarasota

Formula: salary × (102.4 ÷ 99.1) = salary × 1.0333. 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×

Sarasota, FL

Median Home Price
$445,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,925
Housing Index
128
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.3×

Sarasota has 19.6% higher housing costs compared to Charlottesville.

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

Sarasota, FL

Median Household Income
$78,900
Per Capita Income
$45,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
57,738
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareReal EstateFinanceArts

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)

Sarasota, FL
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

71% 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.