Question 1

Is Los Angeles or Virginia Beach cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,965/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,903/mo in Los Angeles versus $1,713/mo in Virginia Beach.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Los Angeles vs Virginia Beach?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Los Angeles, CA 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 Los Angeles 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 $11,266/month in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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	Los Angeles47	Virginia Beach77
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,022	$4,057
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$11,266	$7,717
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,903	$1,713
Median home value	$879,500	$366,300
Median household income	$80,366	$90,685
Unemployment	5.3%	3.3%
Housing score	2	74
Jobs score	25	62
Safety score	47	93
Climate score	100	96
Amenities score	100	38
Population	3.9M	457.1K
Summer high / winter low	89° / 47°	88° / 32°

Los Angeles, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA