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 | Reston | Virginia Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,109/mo | $1,568/mo | 34.5% higher in A |
| Median home value | $591,900 | $343,700 | 72.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $135,503 | $87,544 | 54.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.0 | 97.3 | 5.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 103.1 | 91.2 | 13.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.8 | 99.2 | 2.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 100.1 | 97.5 | 2.7% higher 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 Reston, you'd need $81,185 in Virginia Beach to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Virginia Beach, VA is about 18.8% cheaper overall than Reston, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 31% lower in Virginia Beach than in Reston. If you earn $80,000 in Reston, you'd need about $64,948 in Virginia Beach to keep the same standard of living.