City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 14.2% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $114,200 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 24% in Virginia Beach, VA.
- 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 −11.2% moving from San Diego, CA to Virginia Beach, VA ($121,585 → $108,019), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much 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
| San Diego, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,536 in Virginia Beach | $114,239 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/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 | 40% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, San Diego → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $62,640 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $75,788 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $90,838 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $108,019 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $127,646 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $63,380 | $72,405 (−25.4%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $129,090 | $147,471 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $79,450 | $90,763 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $89,450 | $102,187 (−26.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.