City comparison
Austin, TX vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Austin, TX (98.1) and Virginia Beach, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Austin, TX goes as far as $99,900 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,562 a month in Austin, TX and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Austin, TX to Virginia Beach, VA ($109,428 → $108,019), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,873 in Virginia Beach | $100,128 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
69 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Austin, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Austin → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $62,640 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $75,788 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $90,838 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $108,019 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $127,646 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $63,380 | $63,461 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $129,090 | $129,255 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $79,450 | $79,551 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $89,450 | $89,564 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.