Cost of living in Virginia Beach: rent, homes and salary
The BEA regional price parity (RPP) puts the cost of living in Virginia Beach 2.1% under the US average. In 2024 the index for the Virginia Beach, VA metro area came to 97.9, with the US at 100 and housing alone at 99.8.
- Overall prices
- 97.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- Rents: 99.8, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Virginia Beach
A regional price parity measures what one identical basket of goods and services costs in a single place, measured against the US average of 100. Virginia Beach lies in a metro area called Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, and BEA prices that whole region as one. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 89.6, a figure 10.4% under the US level.
| Price level, US = 100 | Virginia Beach, VA metro | Virginia | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 97.9 | 101.1 | −2.1% |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.4 | −3.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 99.8 | 106.8 | −0.2% |
| Utilities | 89.6 | 92.2 | −10.4% |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.2 | −1.4% |
Regional price parities, 2024, by state and by metro area. Source: the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
Rent prices in Virginia Beach
ZORI, the Zillow Observed Rent Index, puts the typical asking rent in Virginia Beach at $2,098 a month for homes listed now, up 7.8% from a year earlier. In the US the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent comes to $1,753; that measure counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of asking rent equals 27% of the median household income.
| Rent | Virginia Beach | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,098 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +7.8% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,753 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income taken by a year of asking rent | 27% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index, and Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 with one-year estimates.
Prices of homes in Virginia Beach
In September 2026, a typical home in Virginia Beach was valued at $424,785 by the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), which values a typical home priced in the middle of the market. The yearly change is +3.1%, while the US figure is $366,157. That equals 4.5 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Virginia Beach | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $424,785 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +3.1% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +62.4% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 16.9 | 15.8 |
The forecast, days on market, and the price chart since 2000: Virginia Beach housing market.
What salary you need to live in Virginia Beach
Where you live and what you earn are the two questions behind the Virginia Beach salary, which matches the buying power your pay has now.
- Moving away from
- Salary
The method, plus each city placed side by side: cost of living by city.
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Cost of living in Virginia Beach compared with other cities
| City | Overall prices | Housing | Typical rent level | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 97.9 | 99.8 | $2,098 | $424,785 |
| Arlington, Virginia | 108.9 | 151.1 | $2,680 | $801,809 |
| Richmond | 97.9 | 99.1 | $1,628 | $361,844 |
| Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | $1,749 | $310,673 |
| Alexandria | 108.9 | 151.1 | $2,275 | $662,843 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, where US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison by city. State by state: cost of living by state.