Orlando, FL vs Virginia Beach, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Orlando, FL and Virginia Beach, VA have about the same overall cost index in our saved model.

Orlando, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,210 / month
Virginia Beach, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / 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 Orlando, FL and Virginia Beach, VA 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 Orlando, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $20.95/month in Virginia Beach, VA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,749 in Virginia Beach, VA

Regional cost estimates: Orlando, FL uses Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metropolitan Area. Virginia Beach, VA uses Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

→ 0.0%

Same cost

Monthly Impact

$20.95

Savings

Annual Impact

$251

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.

Orlando, FL

Population:308K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$390K

Virginia Beach, VA

Population:459K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$447K

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Orlando, FL

The Sunshine State

308K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 308K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Virginia Beach, VA

The Old Dominion State

459K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 459K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Orlando, FL vs Virginia Beach, VA

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	Orlando, FL	Virginia Beach, VA	Difference	Change
Healthcare	$537/mo	$596/mo	↑ $58.39more	10.9%
Groceries	$961/mo	$904/mo	↓ $56.51less	5.9%
Other	$1,704/mo	$1,657/mo	↓ $47.33less	2.8%
Housing	$2,547/mo	$2,572/mo	↑ $24.49more	1.0%
Transportation	$1,210/mo	$1,210/mo	→ $0	0.0%
All Utilities	$541/mo	$541/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Healthcare

↑ 10.9%

Orlando, FL

$537

Virginia Beach, VA

$596

Difference

$58.39

Groceries

↓ 5.9%

Orlando, FL

$961

Virginia Beach, VA

$904

Difference

$56.51

less

Other

↓ 2.8%

Orlando, FL

$1,704

Virginia Beach, VA

$1,657

Difference

$47.33

less

Housing

↑ 1.0%

Orlando, FL

$2,547

Virginia Beach, VA

$2,572

Difference

$24.49

Transportation

→ 0.0%

Orlando, FL

$1,210

Virginia Beach, VA

$1,210

Difference

same

All Utilities

→ 0.0%

Orlando, FL

$541

Virginia Beach, VA

$541

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,850

To$1,780

↓ $70.00

1 Bed

From$1,940

To$1,800

↓ $140

2 Bed

From$2,210

To$2,040

↓ $170

3 Bed

From$2,770

To$2,830

↑ $60.00

Orlando, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$2,400/mo

Virginia Beach, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,690–$2,120/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 Orlando, FL

$7,479

Monthly in Virginia Beach, VA

$20.95

Difference

Home Values

Orlando

Virginia Beach

$390K

Median Value

$447K

↓ -4%

YoY Change

↑ +2.7%

↑ +36.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +33.5%

$228K - $783K

Price Range

$318K - $640K

Homes in Virginia Beach are 15% more expensive than Orlando

Calculate payment - Orlando Calculate payment - Virginia Beach

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $8.4K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$697

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.6%

Rate difference

Orlando, 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

Virginia Beach, 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

Additional Tax Information

Orlando, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Virginia Beach, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Orlando, FL: No data yet

Virginia Beach, VA

14/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 0.3% cycling tags

Environment

Orlando

Virginia Beach

41 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

75.6%

Good Air Days

80.3%

98 High

Climate Risk

58 Low

🌊🌀🌪

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

Before moving from Orlando, FL to Virginia Beach, VA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Virginia Beach, VA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Orlando, FL. 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 Orlando to Virginia Beach moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Virginia Beach, VA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Orlando, FL vs Virginia Beach, VA

How do the cost estimates for Orlando, FL and Virginia Beach, VA compare?

Orlando, FL and Virginia Beach, VA have about the same overall cost index in our saved model. 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 Orlando, FL, the model estimates $149,749 in Virginia Beach, VA. 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 Orlando, FL and Virginia Beach, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,210/month in Orlando, FL and $2,040/month in Virginia Beach, VA. 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 Florida and Virginia on TaxTakeHome.com