City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 10.9% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $110,900 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, 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 −12.9% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Virginia Beach, VA ($124,085 → $108,019), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (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 Luis Obispo, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,188 in Virginia Beach | $110,879 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/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 | 31% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,640 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $75,788 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $90,838 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $108,019 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $127,646 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $63,380 | $70,275 (−28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $129,090 | $143,134 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $79,450 | $88,093 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $89,450 | $99,181 (−28.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.