Overall
97.9
-2.1 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Cost-of-living indicators for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 47260 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #115 of 387
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC has a cost of living index of 97.9, meaning it's 2.1% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.2% less, services 10.4% less, and rents are 0.2% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $102,102 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach ranks #115 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 97.9, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 2.1% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Virginia Beach's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus services at 89.6 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $102,102 inside Virginia Beach, while a household needs roughly $97,941 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 99.8 — 0.2% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Virginia Beach's overall index has fallen by 2.1 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.8 and services at 89.6, meaning everyday spending in Virginia Beach is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Virginia Beach Cost Index at a Glance
Virginia Beach all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Virginia Beach category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.8
-3.2 below avg
Services
89.6
-10.4 below avg
Rents
99.8
-0.2 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 97.9 (-2.1 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.8 (-3.2 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 89.6 (-10.4 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 99.8 (-0.2 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Services -10.4% (89.6)
Goods -3.2% (96.8)
Overall -2.1% (97.9)
Rents -0.2% (99.8)
Income Adequacy in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 97.9
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$97,941
in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$48,971
$75,000 nationally
$73,456
$125,000 nationally
$122,426
$150,000 nationally
$146,912
$200,000 nationally
$195,882
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 2.1 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.1 |
| 2009 | 99.2 |
| 2010 | 100.9 |
| 2011 | 101.3 |
| 2012 | 100.1 |
| 2013 | 99.7 |
| 2014 | 100.1 |
| 2015 | 100.2 |
| 2016 | 101.0 |
| 2017 | 99.1 |
| 2018 | 97.9 |
| 2019 | 95.5 |
| 2020 | 95.6 |
| 2021 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 97.9 |
| 2023 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 97.9 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC's index of 97.9.
Other VA Metros
Related Data for Virginia Beach
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Virginia Beach area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Virginia Beach metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Virginia Beach
School Districts
NCES school data for Virginia Beach area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Virginia Beach area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC? ▼
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 97.9, meaning it is 2.1% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.8, services at 89.6, and rents at 99.8. It ranks #115 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $97,941 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Conversely, $100K earned in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC has the purchasing power of $102,102 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC? ▼
Rents in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC are indexed at 99.8, which is 0.2% below the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC's overall cost index changed by -2.1 points (from 100.1 to 97.9). The cost of living has been declining.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, Richmond, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC's 97.9.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
