Head to head
Charleston, SC vs Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $158/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $2,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For a household of four, Charleston is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and that spread is far steeper in some markets than others.
| Metric | Charleston74 | Virginia Beach77 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,215 | $4,057 |
| Est. monthly cost (household of 4) | $7,527 | $7,717 |
| Salary for comfort | $79,000/yr | $76,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,787 | $1,713 |
| Median home value | $469,100 | $366,300 |
| Median household income | $90,038 | $90,685 |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | 3.3% |
| Housing score | 57 | 74 |
| Jobs score | 93 | 62 |
| Safety score | 64 | 93 |
| Climate score | 100 | 96 |
| Amenities score | 36 | 38 |
| Population | 152K | 457.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 88° / 43° | 88° / 32° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Charleston, SC
Virginia Beach, VA