Newport News, VA vs Gainesville, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Gainesville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 8.7% lower than Newport News, VA.

Newport News, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,660 / month
Gainesville, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,560 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Newport News, VA and Gainesville, FL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Newport News, VA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $793/month in Gainesville, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $140,483 in Gainesville, FL

Regional cost estimates: Newport News, VA uses Norfolk, VA. Gainesville, FL uses Jacksonville, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 8.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$793

Savings

Annual Impact

$9.5K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Newport News, VA

Population:183K

Cost Index:

100.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$288K

Gainesville, FL

Population:146K

Cost Index:

91.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$297K

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Newport News, VA

The Old Dominion State

183K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 183K residents.

Gainesville, FL

The Sunshine State

146K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 146K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Newport News, VA vs Gainesville, FL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Newport News, VA	Gainesville, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,480/mo	$1,881/mo	↓ $599less	24.2%
Other	$1,662/mo	$1,536/mo	↓ $126less	7.6%
Healthcare	$615/mo	$547/mo	↓ $68.27less	11.1%
Groceries	$934/mo	$978/mo	↑ $44.16more	4.7%
Transportation	$1,250/mo	$1,215/mo	↓ $35.54less	2.8%
All Utilities	$559/mo	$551/mo	↓ $8.00less	1.4%

Housing

↓ 24.2%

Newport News, VA

$2,480

Gainesville, FL

$1,881

Difference

$599

less

Other

↓ 7.6%

Newport News, VA

$1,662

Gainesville, FL

$1,536

Difference

$126

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.1%

Newport News, VA

$615

Gainesville, FL

$547

Difference

$68.27

less

Groceries

↑ 4.7%

Newport News, VA

$934

Gainesville, FL

$978

Difference

$44.16

Transportation

↓ 2.8%

Newport News, VA

$1,250

Gainesville, FL

$1,215

Difference

$35.54

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.4%

Newport News, VA

$559

Gainesville, FL

$551

Difference

$8.00

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,445

To$1,210

↓ $235

1 Bed

From$1,465

To$1,300

↓ $165

2 Bed

From$1,660

To$1,560

↓ $100

3 Bed

From$2,305

To$1,950

↓ $355

Newport News, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,240–$1,940/mo

Gainesville, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,180–$1,580/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Newport News, VA

$6,707

Monthly in Gainesville, FL

$793

Difference

Home Values

Newport News

Gainesville

$288K

Median Value

$297K

↑ +1.3%

YoY Change

↓ -3.1%

↑ +38%

5-Year Change

↑ +29.2%

$180K - $356K

Price Range

$214K - $394K

Homes in Gainesville are 3% more expensive than Newport News

Calculate payment - Newport News Calculate payment - Gainesville

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $8.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$697

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.6%

Rate difference

Newport News, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Gainesville, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Newport News, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

Property Tax:0.8%

Gainesville, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Newport News

Gainesville

32 Good

Air Quality

50 Good

85.8%

Good Air Days

51.9%

81 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Newport News, VA to Gainesville, FL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Gainesville, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Newport News, VA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Newport News to Gainesville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Gainesville, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Newport News, VA vs Gainesville, FL

How do the cost estimates for Newport News, VA and Gainesville, FL compare?

Gainesville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 8.7% lower than Newport News, VA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Newport News, VA, the model estimates $140,483 in Gainesville, FL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Newport News, VA and Gainesville, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,660/month in Newport News, VA and $1,560/month in Gainesville, FL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Virginia and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com