How much do you need to make to live comfortably in Charlottesville, VA?

Living comfortably in Charlottesville costs around $3,600 per person per month, based on CostLiving’s moderate lifestyle benchmark, or roughly $43,200 a year. That figure covers rent, groceries, utilities, transport, and modest discretionary spending for one person in a typical mid-tier neighborhood. Housing carries most of the weight: a one-bedroom near downtown or close to UVA runs $1,400 to $1,800, while Albemarle County and outlying areas drop to the $1,100 to $1,400 range. Charlottesville sits in line with the Virginia state average ($3,600), well above Tennessee ($3,175) and West Virginia ($3,100), and below Maryland ($4,150). University demand keeps rents firm year-round. For the full lifestyle tier breakdown, see our Charlottesville cost of living page.