Moving from Richmond to Virginia Beach
Your paycheck buys about the same in Virginia Beach as in Richmond. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Virginia Beach: $85,000
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $85,000 in Virginia Beach, VA to match $85,000 in Richmond, VA, after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Virginia, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Richmond vs Virginia Beach: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,546 → $1,556/mo
- Median home value
- $378,100 → $363,400
- Median household income
- $83,460 → $82,402
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 97.9 → 97.9
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average (65.9 → 61.5 of 100)
Richmond vs Virginia Beach cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Richmond, VA | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| Median rent | $1,546 | $1,556 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $61,840 | $62,240 |
| Median home value | $378,100 | $363,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,333 | $2,278 |
| Income needed to buy | $99,993 | $97,614 |
| Median property tax | $2,681 | $2,949 |
| State income tax on $85,000 | $4,073 | $4,073 |
| Metro population | 1,368,219 | 1,796,689 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Richmond vs Virginia Beach
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $49,388 a year in Richmond and $49,508 in Virginia Beach if you rent: $120 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $58,834 and $58,168 ($666 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | RichmondBefore | Virginia BeachAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $20,446 | $20,446 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,785 | $1,785 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,114 | $1,114 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,031 | $2,031 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $5,460 | $5,460 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $18,552 | $18,672 | +$120 |
| Total if you rent | $49,388 | $49,508 | +$120 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $24,027 | $23,093 | -$934 |
| Property tax median home | $2,681 | $2,949 | +$268 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,290 | $1,290 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $58,834 | $58,168 | -$666 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $16,796 a year in Richmond and $16,796 in Virginia Beach (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Richmond to Virginia Beach
About 1,426 households (2,187 people) moved from the Richmond metro area to the Virginia Beach metro area in 2022–2023, making Virginia Beach the #2 destination for people leaving Richmond among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,101 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $64,689.
Cost to move from Richmond to Virginia Beach
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 110 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Richmond vs Virginia Beach
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Richmond area above average (score 65.9) and the Virginia Beach area above average (score 61.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $215 vs $188 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Virginia Beach cheaper than Richmond?
Overall prices in the Virginia Beach area are about the same as in Richmond (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,556 vs $1,546 a month, and the median home is $363,400 vs $378,100.
What salary do I need in Virginia Beach to match $100,000 in Richmond?
About $100,000, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Virginia, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Richmond to Virginia Beach?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 110 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Richmond to Virginia Beach?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,426 households (2,187 people) moved from the Richmond metro area to the Virginia Beach metro area, and 2,101 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Richmond move
- Richmond to Washington, D.C. 2,235 households
- New York 443 households
- Charlotte 285 households
- Raleigh 234 households
- Atlanta 234 households
- Dallas 187 households
- Los Angeles 161 households
- Miami 141 households