Question 1

Is Long Beach or Virginia Beach cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,952/month less than in Long Beach, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,903/mo in Long Beach versus $1,713/mo in Virginia Beach.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Long Beach vs Virginia Beach?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $121,500/year before tax in Long Beach, CA and $76,500/year in Virginia Beach, VA — a difference of about $45,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Long Beach 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 $11,302/month in Long Beach 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 Long Beach 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	Long Beach46	Virginia Beach77
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,009	$4,057
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$11,302	$7,717
Salary for comfort	$121,500/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,903	$1,713
Median home value	$762,200	$366,300
Median household income	$83,969	$90,685
Unemployment	5.1%	3.3%
Housing score	5	74
Jobs score	27	62
Safety score	41	93
Climate score	100	96
Amenities score	91	38
Population	458.5K	457.1K
Summer high / winter low	82° / 46°	88° / 32°

Long Beach, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA