Arlington is close to Washington, DC, but the address you choose can change your budget and your routine. A place near Metro may save you car trips. A less expensive apartment may come with a longer commute or a harder move-in. Before choosing a home, look at the full cost of living there and find out how the truck will reach it.
In September 2026, Arlington apartments averaged $2,411 a month for one bedroom and $3,133 for two bedrooms. The median sale price across all home types was about $855,000 for the three months ending August 2026. Your costs will depend on the property, parking, transportation, and, if you have children, childcare. Check building access before you set a move date.
Where should you look for a home?
If you expect to use Metro often, look along the Rosslyn–Ballston corridor. Rosslyn has high-rise homes close to DC; Clarendon and Ballston offer different mixes of apartments, shops, and residential streets. Crystal City and Pentagon City are also worth a look if the eastern side of Arlington suits your commute. Columbia Pike has varied housing and local businesses, though bus service will play a bigger part in many trips. Shirlington has a walkable center and bus connections. East Falls Church and areas north of Langston Boulevard offer more residential surroundings. Arlington County’s neighborhood guide gives you a starting point, but test the journey from each address you are considering.
Take a look at the entrance while you are there. An apartment in a tower might have a convenient loading dock but require an elevator reservation. At a garden apartment, the crew may need to carry everything up outside stairs from a truck parked down the block. Those details affect the time and cost of the move.
How much is rent in Arlington?
Apartments.com reported these average rents for Arlington apartments in September 2026. Treat them as a starting point; an available home may cost more or less.
| Size | Monthly rent | Average floor area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,045 | 550 sq. ft. |
| One bedroom | $2,411 | 738 sq. ft. |
| Two bedrooms | $3,133 | 1,063 sq. ft. |
| Three bedrooms | $4,181 | 1,420 sq. ft. |
Location makes a difference, though neighborhood averages need care. In the same data, apartments in Ballston/Virginia Square averaged $2,737 a month; those in Long Branch Creek averaged $1,987. The $750 gap does not mean two comparable apartments differ by that amount. Each area has a different mix of unit sizes and buildings. Compare homes with the same number of bedrooms, then add parking, utilities, and any pet charges to the advertised rent. Ask whether the building collects a move-in fee or refundable deposit, too.
What does it cost to buy?
Redfin puts Arlington County’s median sale price at about $855,000 across all home types for the three months ending August 2026. Condos and detached houses are counted together, so that figure cannot tell you what a particular kind of home will cost. Look at recent sales for the property type and area you want.
| Property type | Price | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| All residential properties | $860,729 | Median sale price |
| Single-family homes | $1,430,685 | Average sale price |
| Attached homes | $566,001 | Average sale price |
| Condominiums | $509,530 | Average sale price |
Attached homes include townhouses, rowhouses, and condominiums. August figures are preliminary and may be revised. Source: MarketStats by ShowingTime, reported by ARLnow.
Property tax belongs in the monthly calculation. Arlington’s 2026 rate is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value. On a home assessed at $850,000, that works out to about $8,951 a year, or $746 a month, in base real estate tax before any relief or other charges. This is an illustration based on an assessed value, which can differ from the purchase price. If you are buying a condo, check its association dues and any building move-in charges separately.
What income covers everyday costs?
Rent tells only part of the story. MIT’s Arlington County Living Wage Calculator, updated in February 2026, estimates that one adult without children needs $62,933 a year before taxes to cover its model of basic expenses. For two working adults with one child, the combined figure is $132,049. These are budgets for basic needs, not an income target that will fit every family.
MIT’s one-adult budget sets aside $26,804 a year for housing, $6,293 for transportation, $5,608 for food, and $3,460 for medical costs. By comparison, twelve months at the one-bedroom rent average above comes to $28,932. Rent alone would exceed MIT’s housing allowance by $2,128. For two working adults with a child, MIT also budgets $29,654 a year for childcare. The useful exercise is to replace those model figures with the rent, travel, and care costs you would actually pay.
Keeping a car adds another local expense. Arlington taxes vehicles based on assessed value, with relief for qualifying personal-use vehicles under its 2026 vehicle tax rules. The rate is $5 per $100 of assessed value, but that is not necessarily your final bill. Check the county’s vehicle tax estimator and include the cost of a parking space if your home does not provide one.
Check the commute, school assignment, and parking
Arlington has Metrorail, Metrobus, and ART buses, but access varies from one street to the next. Try the route to work and the errands you expect to make each week. Families can check a prospective home’s assigned schools with the Arlington Public Schools address locator. If you plan to park on the street, check the county’s residential permit parking zones before signing a lease or buying.
Plan the move around the building
Moving a one-bedroom apartment can take very different amounts of time in two Arlington buildings. A truck at the loading dock and a reserved freight elevator keep the route short. Stairs, a long carry, or a narrow elevator window can add hours. AT Movers’ Arlington rates start at $150 an hour for two movers and a truck, with a two-hour minimum; travel time is billed separately. The starting rate is not a total. Send the mover your inventory, both addresses, and the building’s instructions to get a written estimate for the job.
Ask the property manager when moves are allowed and whether you need to reserve the elevator or loading dock. Find out if the mover must provide a certificate of insurance and whether you owe a fee or deposit. Send the full move-in instructions to your mover before the crew and truck are scheduled.
If you need temporary curbside space for the truck, read Arlington County’s moving van permit instructions before choosing a date. Apply at least five business days ahead, or seven business days when the five-day period includes a county-observed holiday. Permission to move into a building does not reserve a space on the street.
After you arrive
Arlington County’s moving-in checklist covers utilities, address changes, and other local tasks. For the weeks before your move, use AT Movers’ packing and moving checklist. If you bring a car from another state, review the county’s new-resident vehicle guidance. DMV registration, your driver’s license, and county vehicle tax registration have separate requirements.
