Virginia Beach City · Virginia
Cost of living in Virginia Beach, VA
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Living in Virginia Beach, VA costs 2.1% below the national average — an all-items price level of 97.9. To match the buying power of a $100,000 national-average salary you would need about $97,941 here.
- All items
- 97.9US average = 100
- Housing
- 99.8in line with the national average
- Goods
- 96.83.2% below the national average
- Other services
- 98.61.4% below the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 96.8 | -3.2% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 99.8 | -0.2% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 89.6 | -10.4% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 98.6 | -1.4% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Virginia Beach, VA
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (97.9 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $91,647
- Needed to match US average
- $87,912
- Monthly difference
- $-154
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
The median household in Virginia Beach earns $89,760. Deflated by the local price level, that is $91,647 in national-average dollars — the BEA calls this real income, and it is simply income × 100 ÷ 97.9.
More on Virginia Beach
Same city, other datasets.
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.