City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 1.5% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $101,500 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Asheville, NC to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,487 in Virginia Beach | $98,535 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
64 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Asheville → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $63,380 | $62,451 (+24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $129,090 | $127,199 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,450 | $78,286 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $89,450 | $88,139 (+8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.