City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charlotte, NC (97.3) and Virginia Beach, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charlotte, NC goes as far as $100,600 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Charlotte, NC to Virginia Beach, VA ($108,810 → $108,019), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,609 in Virginia Beach | $99,395 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/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 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
67 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Charlotte → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,640 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,788 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,838 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $108,019 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $127,646 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $63,380 | $62,996 (+7.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $129,090 | $128,308 (−5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,450 | $78,969 (−15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $89,450 | $88,908 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.