City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 4.7% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $104,700 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Virginia Beach, VA ($117,284 → $108,019), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,502 in Virginia Beach | $104,710 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
83 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Philadelphia → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,640 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,788 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $90,838 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $108,019 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $127,646 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $63,380 | $66,365 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $129,090 | $135,170 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $79,450 | $83,192 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $89,450 | $93,663 (−7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.