City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 4.3% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $104,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Fresno, CA to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,973 → $108,019), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,872 in Virginia Beach | $104,306 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
82 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Fresno → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,640 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $75,788 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $90,838 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,019 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $127,646 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $63,380 | $66,109 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,090 | $134,648 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,450 | $82,871 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $89,450 | $93,301 (−25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.