Cost of Living
The cost of living in Virginia Beach is below the national average and well below that of other metropolitan areas in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States.
In fact, according to a study performed by Old Dominion University, the typical household in Virginia Beach is "better off, economically speaking, than the typical household in
New York City area." (Source: The State of the Region 2012, Old Dominion University)
| Cost of Living Index | National Average = 100 |
|---|
| Composite index | 97.7 |
| Grocery items | 93.3 |
| Housing | 85.0 |
| Utilities | 104.7 |
| Transportation | 90.7 |
| Health care | 105.5 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 108.3 |
Source: Council for Community Economic Research Cost of Living Index, 2016 Annual Average Data
| composite index | NATIONAL AVERAGE = 100 |
|---|
| Virginia Beach | 97.7 |
| Philadelphia | 118.6 |
| Miami | 111.0 |
| Baltimore | 115.6 |
| Boston | 148.1 |
| Washington D.C. | 149.2 |
| New York | 173.6 |
Source: Council for Community Economic Research Cost of Living Index, 2016 Annual Average Data