City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 3.7% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $103,700 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,984 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Virginia Beach, VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Eugene, OR to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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
| Eugene, OR | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,429 in Virginia Beach | $103,703 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,984/yr.
80 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,984/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR 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 Eugene, OR to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Eugene → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $63,380 | $65,727 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $129,090 | $133,871 (+10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $79,450 | $82,392 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $89,450 | $92,763 (−18.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.