City comparison
Reno, NV vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 3.1% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $103,100 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,489 a month in Reno, NV and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Reno, NV to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,855 → $108,019), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,958 in Virginia Beach | $103,138 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
79 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Reno → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $62,640 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $75,788 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $90,838 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $108,019 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $127,646 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $63,380 | $65,369 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $129,090 | $133,140 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $79,450 | $81,943 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $89,450 | $92,257 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.