Overall
Delaware feels cheaper overall
Delaware has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Virginia by 0.5 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Delaware vs Virginia: Cost of Living
Delaware is cheaper overall by 0.5 cost-of-living points, but Delaware has lower median home values.
103.2
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Virginia
VA • South
103.7
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Delaware
103.2
Virginia
103.7
Difference: 0.5 points — Delaware leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
Delaware
#30 · 103.2
Virginia
#33 · 103.7
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#30
Delaware
103.2
Delaware
#33
Virginia
103.7
Virginia
Delaware ranks 30th and Virginia ranks 33rd nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.2x more for a home
Delaware has the lower median home value, while buying in Virginia costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Delaware puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Delaware than in Virginia, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Virginia keeps more income after state tax
Virginia has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Delaware
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
103.2
Regional price parity
100.9
Regular gas price
$3.914/gal
Electricity price
16.51 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,222/mo
Median home value
$296,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
6.60%
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
0.50%
Income
Median household income
$79,325
Income after median rent
$5,388
Minimum wage
$13.25/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Virginia
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
103.7
Regional price parity
102.4
Regular gas price
$4.063/gal
Electricity price
15.87 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,518/mo
Median home value
$367,900
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.75%
State sales tax
5.30%
Property tax
0.73%
Income
Median household income
$87,249
Income after median rent
$5,753
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Delaware has lower median home values.
- Delaware has the lower overall cost index.
- Virginia has the higher median household income.
- Delaware looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Delaware vs Virginia: Cost of Living in context
Delaware has a cost of living of 103.2, compared with 103.7 in Virginia. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Delaware
103.2
Virginia
103.7
Difference
0.5 points
People Also Ask
Delaware vs Virginia Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Delaware's cost of living?
Delaware's cost of living is 103.2.
Q What is Virginia's cost of living?
Virginia's cost of living is 103.7.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Delaware or Virginia?
Delaware is cheaper overall by 0.5 cost-of-living points, but Delaware has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Delaware vs Virginia
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.