Cost of Living in Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 105 — making it 4.8% more expensive than the US national average. To maintain your current standard of living here, you would need to earn $105,000 for every $100,000 of national-average income.
The Virginia Beach Tax & Cost Impact
Virginia Beach offers a balanced tax profile. While Virginia does have an income tax, it remains competitive compared to coastal hubs, especially when adjusted for local housing costs.
Decision Matrix
- ✓Housing: Housing is a value-play compared to national tiers.
- ✓Savings Rate: To save $2,000/mo here, you need a gross household income of ~$88,200.
COL Index
105
100 = national avg
Monthly Budget
$5,250
vs $5,000 national
Population
0.5M
Metro area
State Tax
Yes
Virginia
Monthly Cost Breakdown
Estimated monthly costs in Virginia Beach vs national average for a typical household.
| Category | National Avg | Virginia Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | $1,650 | $1,774 | +$124 |
| Groceries | $650 | $676 | +$26 |
| Transportation | $800 | $836 | +$36 |
| Healthcare | $400 | $414 | +$14 |
| Utilities | $300 | $315 | +$15 |
| Other | $1,200 | $1,248 | +$48 |
| Total | $5,000 | $5,250 | +$250 |
Estimated Budget: Single vs. Family of Four
Estimates from LifeCalc's model, not surveyed prices. We treat the $5,000 national baseline as a family-of-four budget, scale each category by Virginia Beach's index (housing moves 1.5x as much as the index, groceries 0.8x, and so on), then apply assumed single-adult shares per category (housing 65%, groceries 30%, transportation 55%, healthcare 30%, utilities 60%, other 45%).
| Category | Single adult / mo | Family of four / mo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | $1,153 | $1,774 |
| Groceries | $203 | $676 |
| Transportation | $460 | $836 |
| Healthcare | $124 | $414 |
| Utilities | $189 | $315 |
| Other | $562 | $1,248 |
| Total (estimate) | $2,691 | $5,263 |
For comparison, the same model gives about $2,548 (single) and $5,000 (family of four) at the national average. Virginia Beach is $263 above the family baseline each month.
Salary Needed and State Tax Context
Our dataset's median of state median household incomes is $77,871. Scaling that by Virginia Beach's index of 105 suggests you would need roughly $81,765 a year here to match that standard of living. This is a cost-of-living adjustment only; it does not adjust for your household or housing choices.
Virginia's top marginal income tax rate is 5.8%; on $81,765 our bracket data gives about $4,444 of state income tax for a single filer. Virginia's statewide cost index is 103 and its median household income is $92,090. See all Virginia tax brackets.
Closest cities by index
Salary Equivalent
To maintain the same standard of living in Virginia Beach, a national-average salary translates to:
$50,000 nationally
$52,500
$75,000 nationally
$78,750
$100,000 nationally
$105,000
$150,000 nationally
$157,500
What Your Salary Gets You in Virginia Beach
Here's how different salary levels translate to monthly purchasing power in Virginia Beach, VA, where the cost of living is 5% above the national average.
Cities With Similar Cost of Living
FAQ: Cost of Living in Virginia Beach
Is Virginia Beach expensive to live in?
Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 105, which is slightly above the national average of 100. Housing is typically the biggest factor, with estimated monthly rent around $1,733.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Virginia Beach?
To maintain a middle-class lifestyle in Virginia Beach, you'd need approximately $78,750 per year, which is equivalent to a $75,000 salary at the national average cost of living.
How does Virginia Beach compare to other cities?
Virginia Beach is comparable in cost to Dallas, Nashville, Las Vegas. More affordable alternatives include Albuquerque, Lincoln, Columbus.