Cost of living in Virginia Beach research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Virginia Beach is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Virginia Beach is 116, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Virginia Beach is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Virginia Beach ranks as the #77 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Virginia Beach ranks as the #4,151 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Virginia Beach is $413,480.
The median income in Virginia Beach is $90,685.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Virginia Beach has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Virginia Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Virginia Beach ranks as #77 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Virginia Beach ranks as the #113 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Virginia Beach, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Virginia Beach. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Virginia Beach is 101.
The Groceries index in Virginia Beach is 101.
The Health index in Virginia Beach is 97.
The Housing index in Virginia Beach is 151.
The Transportation index in Virginia Beach is 101.
The Utilities index in Virginia Beach is 106.
| Living Expense | Virginia Beach | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 116 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 151 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Virginia Beach is $413,480.
The Median Rent in Virginia Beach is $1,649.
The Median Income in Virginia Beach is $90,685.
The Home Value To Income in Virginia Beach is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Virginia Beach is 0.22x.
| Statistic | Virginia Beach | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $413,480 | $404,962 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,649 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $90,685 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.6x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.26 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.17 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.17 | $45.56 |
| Item | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.54 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.44 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.63 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.27 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.72 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.64 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
| Item | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $95.44 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $122.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $109.67 | $113.29 |
| Item | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.27 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $227.22 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.33 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Virginia Beach. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Chesapeake, VA has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Virginia Beach.
Norfolk, VA has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Virginia Beach.
Newport News, VA has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Virginia Beach.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake, VA | 251,153 | 117 | 1.0x |
| Norfolk, VA | 235,037 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Newport News, VA | 184,774 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Hampton, VA | 137,334 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Elizabeth, NJ | 135,887 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Portsmouth, VA | 97,299 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Suffolk, VA | 96,638 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Poquoson, VA | 12,556 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Gloucester Point, VA | 11,159 | 108 | 0.9x |
| Smithfield, VA | 8,729 | 115 | 1.0x |