City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.3% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,300 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,015 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.6% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Virginia Beach, VA ($107,428 → $108,019), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,346 in Virginia Beach | $97,708 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,015/yr.
62 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,015/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Indianapolis → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,640 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $75,788 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $90,838 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $108,019 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $127,646 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $63,380 | $61,927 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $129,090 | $126,131 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $79,450 | $77,629 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $89,450 | $87,400 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.