City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 5.8% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $105,800 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Chicago, IL to Virginia Beach, VA ($118,984 → $108,019), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Chicago, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,542 in Virginia Beach | $105,773 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$131/yr.
87 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$131/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Chicago → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,640 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,788 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,838 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,019 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,646 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $63,380 | $67,039 (−14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $129,090 | $136,542 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,450 | $84,037 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $89,450 | $94,614 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.