2026 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Novato, CA vs Arlington, VA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or is it cheaper to live in Novato?
- Arlington is 28.6% less expensive than Novato.

Which city has more affordable housing, Arlington or Novato?
- Arlington housing costs are 23.3% less expensive than Novato housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Novato or is Health Care more affordable in Arlington.
- Health related expenses are 8.6% less in Arlington.
 Novato, CAArlington, VAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.3100
 Food & Groceries111.9  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock100.6100
 Housing351.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$750,500$338,100
 Utilities95  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock122.5100
 Miscellaneous164.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Novato    9 Reviews

Lush hills, hiking trails, and easy access to both wine country and San Francisco. We love it here.  More

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Over 11 years ago

Novato is a family oriented community located about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate bridge. The quality of life is excellent here assuming your job pays you enough to  More

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Over 12 years ago

We recently moved to a secluded neighborhood in Novato after 25 years in central Marin. While there are fewer restaurants and galleries, we are very pleased with our  More

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Reviews for Arlington    36 Reviews

Lived here 17 years, amazing  More

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Resident for 20 years. There is nothing hidden about Arlington. It is an affluent inner suburb of DC with a highly educated, mostly professional, population. The  More

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We've lived in Arlington for the past 7 years, and have enjoyed it but would prefer a less expensive, more open area. We live in a townhouse in Rosslyn, close to the  More

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