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.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Virginia, its principal state. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
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
- FEMA county-score mean
- High county-score mean (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) | $2,392 | $2,335 |
| Income needed to buy | $102,528 | $100,050 |
| 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). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $85,000, rounded from Richmond's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state. A metro can span several states; residence in its other state can change the tax result.
Your yearly budget: Richmond vs Virginia Beach
This fixed budget example uses $85,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $47,492 a year in Richmond and $47,612 in Virginia Beach if you rent: $120 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $59,605 and $58,911 ($694 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 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,114 | $1,114 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,920 | $1,920 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $5,460 | $5,460 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $18,552 | $18,672 | +$120 |
| Total if you rent | $47,492 | $47,612 | +$120 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $24,737 | $23,775 | -$962 |
| Property tax median home | $2,681 | $2,949 | +$268 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,290 | $1,290 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,957 | $1,957 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $59,605 | $58,911 | -$694 |
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. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), 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 October 29, 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 $17,264 a year in Richmond and $17,264 in Virginia Beach (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) 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
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 65.9 for the Richmond area and 61.5 for the Virginia Beach area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $215 vs $188 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (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 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Both are in Virginia, so state income tax is the same. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
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
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.