Median rent is 18% lower in Virginia Beach ($1,714/mo vs $2,082/mo). Buying is cheaper in Virginia Beach, where the median home runs $382,500 versus $713,000. Households earn more in Santa Ana ($93,999 vs $92,968 a year).
City A
Santa Ana, CA
City B
Virginia Beach, VA
How much would you need to earn in Virginia Beach, VA to maintain your standard of living from Santa Ana, CA?
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 metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Santa Ana
California
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: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Virginia Beach at $1,714/mo compared to $2,082/mo in Santa Ana (18% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Santa Ana: the median home is $713,000 versus $382,500 in Virginia Beach — 46% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Santa Ana
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Virginia Beach
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Virginia Beach (avg AQI 45.0) but not yet for Santa Ana.
Pick Virginia Beach if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,714/mo median).
Is Santa Ana cheaper than Virginia Beach?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Santa Ana vs Virginia Beach?
Median rent is $2,082/mo in Santa Ana, CA and $1,714/mo in Virginia Beach, VA. Virginia Beach, VA has the lower rent by about 18%.
Which has higher salaries — Santa Ana or Virginia Beach?
Median household income is $93,999 in Santa Ana, CA and $92,968 in Virginia Beach, VA. Santa Ana, CA 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?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Santa Ana or Virginia Beach?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Virginia Beach to match my Santa Ana income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
