Median rent is 8% lower in Chesapeake ($1,523/mo vs $1,649/mo). Buying is cheaper in Chesapeake, where the median home runs $359,100 versus $366,300. Households earn more in Chesapeake ($94,189 vs $90,685 a year).
City A
Chesapeake, VA
City B
Virginia Beach, VA
How much would you need to earn in Virginia Beach, VA to maintain your standard of living from Chesapeake, VA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Chesapeake
Virginia
Virginia Beach
Virginia
👥Population
💰Median Household Income
Annual
🏠Median Gross Rent
Per month
🏡Median Home Value
📊Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
🔑1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🌬️Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
🏛️Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
🧾State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
🎂Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Chesapeake at $1,523/mo compared to $1,649/mo in Virginia Beach (8% gap). Median home values are within 2% of each other: $359,100 in Chesapeake and $366,300 in Virginia Beach.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
Virginia's top income tax rate is 5.75% versus 5.75% in Virginia, so Virginia Beach is more tax-friendly for high earners. Sales tax is 5.30% in Virginia and 5.30% in Virginia; Virginia Beach has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
Chesapeake
Income tax: 5.75%
Sales tax: 5.30%
Virginia Beach
Income tax: 5.75%
Sales tax: 5.30%
Both cities have similar air quality: Chesapeake averages 55.0 AQI (Moderate) and Virginia Beach averages 55.0 AQI (Moderate).
Is Chesapeake cheaper than Virginia Beach?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Chesapeake vs Virginia Beach?
Median rent is $1,523/mo in Chesapeake, VA and $1,649/mo in Virginia Beach, VA. Chesapeake, VA has the lower rent by about 8%.
Which has higher salaries — Chesapeake or Virginia Beach?
Median household income is $94,189 in Chesapeake, VA and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA. Chesapeake, VA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Virginia Beach, VA has better air quality on average: 55.0 AQI versus 55.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Chesapeake or Virginia Beach?
Virginia's top income tax rate is 5.75% and Virginia's is 5.75%. Virginia Beach, VA has the lower rate.
What salary do I need in Virginia Beach to match my Chesapeake income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology