City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Atlantic City, NJ (98.9) and Virginia Beach, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ goes as far as $99,100 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $756 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Virginia Beach, VA ($117,284 → $108,019), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- 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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,073 in Virginia Beach | $100,935 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$756/yr.
72 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$756/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Atlantic City → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,640 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,788 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $90,838 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $108,019 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $127,646 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $63,380 | $63,973 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $129,090 | $130,297 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,450 | $80,193 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $89,450 | $90,287 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.