Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would need to be about $40,365 in Virginia Beach city, VA, or $9,635 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Fairfax County, VA vs Virginia Beach city, VA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Virginia Beach city, VA is cheaper than Fairfax County, VA.
Moving to Virginia Beach city, VA is estimated to save $15,179 per year.
Cheaper County
Virginia Beach city, VASave about $15,179 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Fairfax County, VA is about $40,365 in Virginia Beach city, VA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $123 per year. Housing saves $6,525 per year.
Housing: $6,525 lower in Virginia Beach city, VA
Taxes: $5,344 lower in Virginia Beach city, VA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $123 higher in Virginia Beach city, VA
Food: $611 lower in Virginia Beach city, VA
Transport: $607 lower in Virginia Beach city, VA
Fairfax County, VA→Virginia Beach city, VA
Equivalent salary in Virginia Beach city, VA
$40,365
-19.27% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Fairfax County, VA: $178,683
Median Income in Virginia Beach city, VA: $108,168
Living Index in Fairfax County, VA 44.09%
Living Index in Virginia Beach city, VA 58.80%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Fairfax County, VA to Virginia Beach city, VA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Fairfax County, VA to Virginia Beach city, VA is estimated to save $15,179 per year. A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $40,365 in Virginia Beach city, VA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -19.27% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $6,525 per year lower (-24.18%); Taxes is $5,344 per year lower (-26.98%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Fairfax County, VA and Virginia Beach city, VA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.1% of median family income in Fairfax County, VA and 58.8% in Virginia Beach city, VA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $6,525 per year lower in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Virginia Beach city, VA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $611 per year lower in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Virginia Beach city, VA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $607 per year lower in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Virginia Beach city, VA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $123 per year higher in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Virginia Beach city, VA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,215 per year lower in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Virginia Beach city, VA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Fairfax County, VA and Virginia Beach city, VA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Virginia Beach city, VA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $5,344 per year lower in Virginia Beach city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Virginia Beach city, VA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Virginia Beach city, VA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Virginia Beach city, VA
Annual Increase:
$123 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Virginia Beach city, VA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Virginia Beach city, VA
Annual Savings:
$6,525 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Virginia Beach city, VA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -24% lower | |
| Food | -12% lower | |
| Transport | -5% lower | |
| Healthcare | 3% higher | |
| Other Costs | -22% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -27% lower |
In Virginia Beach city, VA, modeled annual costs are $63,607 compared with $78,786 in Fairfax County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Virginia Beach city, VA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Virginia Beach city, VA and Fairfax County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
