City comparison
Denver, CO vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 8.0% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $108,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,244 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.0% moving from Denver, CO to Virginia Beach, VA ($118,675 → $108,019), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,588 in Virginia Beach | $108,006 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,244/yr.
94 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,244/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Denver → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,640 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,788 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,838 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,019 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $127,646 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $63,380 | $68,454 (−11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $129,090 | $139,425 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,450 | $85,811 (−14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $89,450 | $96,611 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.