City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 5.5% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $105,500 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,645 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.0% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Virginia Beach, VA ($111,338 → $108,019), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,798 in Virginia Beach | $105,488 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,645/yr.
86 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,645/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Phoenix → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $62,640 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $75,788 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $90,838 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $108,019 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $127,646 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $63,380 | $66,858 (+13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $129,090 | $136,174 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $79,450 | $83,810 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $89,450 | $94,359 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.