Question 1

Is Boston or Virginia Beach cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $2,066/month less than in Boston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,941/mo in Boston versus $1,713/mo in Virginia Beach.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Boston vs Virginia Beach?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Boston, MA and $76,500/year in Virginia Beach, VA — a difference of about $45,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Boston or Virginia Beach cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Virginia Beach, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $10,978/month in Boston and $7,717/month in Virginia Beach, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Boston or Virginia Beach?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Virginia Beach costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Boston51	Virginia Beach77
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,123	$4,057
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$10,978	$7,717
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,941	$1,713
Median home value	$710,400	$366,300
Median household income	$94,755	$90,685
Unemployment	4.1%	3.3%
Housing score	10	74
Jobs score	32	62
Safety score	86	93
Climate score	86	96
Amenities score	70	38
Population	664K	457.1K
Summer high / winter low	81° / 22°	88° / 32°

Boston, MA vs Virginia Beach, VA