Virginia Beach, VA vs Chesapeake, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

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

Virginia Beach, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / month
Chesapeake, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,875 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Virginia Beach, VA and Chesapeake, 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 Virginia Beach, VA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Virginia Beach, VA and Chesapeake, VA have similar living costs

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,000 in Chesapeake, VA

Regional cost estimates: Virginia Beach, VA uses Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Area. Chesapeake, 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

No change

Annual Impact

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.

Virginia Beach, VA

Population:459K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$447K

Chesapeake, VA

Population:249K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$347K

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Virginia Beach, VA

The Old Dominion State

459K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Chesapeake, VA

The Old Dominion State

249K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 249K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Virginia Beach, VA vs Chesapeake, 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	Virginia Beach, VA	Chesapeake, VA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,579/mo	$2,579/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Groceries	$907/mo	$907/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Transportation	$1,214/mo	$1,214/mo	→ $0	0.0%
All Utilities	$542/mo	$542/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Healthcare	$597/mo	$597/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Other	$1,661/mo	$1,661/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$2,579

Chesapeake, VA

$2,579

Difference

same

Groceries

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$907

Chesapeake, VA

$907

Difference

same

Transportation

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$1,214

Chesapeake, VA

$1,214

Difference

same

All Utilities

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$542

Chesapeake, VA

$542

Difference

same

Healthcare

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$597

Chesapeake, VA

$597

Difference

same

Other

→ 0.0%

Virginia Beach, VA

$1,661

Chesapeake, VA

$1,661

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,780

To$1,630

↓ $150

1 Bed

From$1,800

To$1,660

↓ $140

2 Bed

From$2,040

To$1,875

↓ $165

3 Bed

From$2,830

To$2,600

↓ $230

Virginia Beach, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,690–$2,120/mo

Chesapeake, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,290–$1,900/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 Virginia Beach, VA

$7,500

Monthly in Chesapeake, VA

Difference

Home Values

Virginia Beach

Chesapeake

$447K

Median Value

$347K

↑ +2.7%

YoY Change

↑ +2%

↑ +33.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +34.2%

$318K - $640K

Price Range

$277K - $411K

Homes in Chesapeake are 22% less expensive than Virginia Beach

Calculate payment - Virginia Beach Calculate payment - Chesapeake

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

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

Chesapeake, 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

Virginia Beach, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

Property Tax:0.8%

Chesapeake, 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

Virginia Beach, VA

14/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 0.3% cycling tags

Chesapeake, VA: No data yet

Environment

Virginia Beach

Chesapeake

36 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

80.3%

Good Air Days

80.3%

58 Low

Climate Risk

81 Low

None

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

17 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

17 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

Before moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Chesapeake, VA

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Virginia Beach, VA vs Chesapeake, VA

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

Virginia Beach, VA and Chesapeake, 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 Virginia Beach, VA, the model estimates $150,000 in Chesapeake, 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 Virginia Beach, VA and Chesapeake, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,040/month in Virginia Beach, VA and $1,875/month in Chesapeake, 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.