City comparison
Virginia Beach, VA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 10.1% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $110,100 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,780 in KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Wichita, KS ($108,019 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Virginia Beach, VA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,816 in Wichita | $110,113 in Virginia Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,512/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,430 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Virginia Beach | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.8 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 89.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Virginia Beach, VA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$156/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$156/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Virginia Beach, VA is in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Virginia Beach, VA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Virginia Beach, VA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Virginia Beach → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,640 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,788 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,838 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,019 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,646 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Virginia Beach, VA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Virginia Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,380 | $58,640 | $64,570 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,090 | $105,980 | $116,698 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,450 | $79,270 | $87,286 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,450 | $76,540 | $84,280 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.