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 | Chicago | Virginia Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,568/mo | 16.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $343,700 | 11.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $87,544 | 18.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 104.4 | 6.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 102.9 | 10.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 92.0 | 7.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 111.0 | 12.2% 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 Chicago, you'd need $110,589 in Virginia Beach to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 9.6% cheaper overall than Virginia Beach, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 16% lower in Chicago than in Virginia Beach. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $88,471 in Virginia Beach to keep the same standard of living.