City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,227/mo | $1,568/mo | 42.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $833,300 | $343,700 | 142.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $137,387 | $87,544 | 56.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.9 | 98.7 | 3.3% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 87.6 | 94.8 | 7.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 90.0 | 100.5 | 10.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.8 | 94.8 | 2.1% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $70,409 in Virginia Beach to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Virginia Beach, VA is about 29.6% cheaper overall than Arlington, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in Virginia Beach than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $56,328 in Virginia Beach to keep the same standard of living.