City comparison
Albany, NY vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 1.7% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $101,700 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 23% in Albany, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Albany, NY to Virginia Beach, VA ($109,810 → $108,019), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,368 in Virginia Beach | $101,659 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$76/yr.
74 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$76/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Albany → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $62,640 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $75,788 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $90,838 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $108,019 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $127,646 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $63,380 | $64,432 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $129,090 | $131,232 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,450 | $80,768 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $89,450 | $90,934 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.