City comparison
Virginia Beach, VA vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 1.9% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $101,900 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Visalia, CA ($108,019 → $106,973), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Virginia Beach, VA | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,924 in Visalia | $98,113 in Virginia Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,512/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,430 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Virginia Beach | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.8 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.6 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Virginia Beach, VA → Visalia, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
63 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Virginia Beach, VA is in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Virginia Beach, VA to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Virginia Beach, VA | Visalia, CA | Real change, Virginia Beach → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,640 | $62,033 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,788 | $75,055 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,838 | $89,959 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,019 | $106,973 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,646 | $126,410 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Virginia Beach, VA | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Virginia Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,380 | $98,430 | $96,572 (+52.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,090 | $126,170 | $123,789 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,450 | $79,400 | $77,901 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,450 | $125,180 | $122,817 (+37.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.