City comparison
Portland, ME vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 4.0% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $104,000 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $718 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Virginia Beach, VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Portland, ME to Virginia Beach, VA ($120,548 → $108,019), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (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
| Portland, ME | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,154 in Virginia Beach | $103,999 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$718/yr.
81 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$718/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Portland → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,640 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,788 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,838 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,019 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,646 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $63,380 | $65,915 (−14.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $129,090 | $134,253 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $79,450 | $82,627 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $89,450 | $93,027 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.