Virginia Beach, Virginia
Living in Virginia Beach, Virginia is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 98 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,886 a month, 2% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.03 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 38% of the area's $90,685 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.03
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,886
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$12.61
Combo meal
Electricity
17.64¢
per kWh · ~$159/mo
Car Insurance
$157/mo
$1,880/yr
Median Household Income
$90,685
37.9% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,880 in Virginia Beach. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Virginia Beach residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,886/mo in Virginia Beach. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.45 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.27 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.75 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.06 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.47 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.44 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.77 | $5.45 | +44.6% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.60 | $5.27 | +14.6% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.46 | $7.75 | +41.9% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.17 | $5.06 | +21.3% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.81 | $6.47 | +34.5% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.03 | $8.44 | +40.0% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$12.61
Casual Dining
$24.25
Monthly Spend
$414.75
+3.95% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $7.82
$12.61
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $8.83
$13.62
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $9.46
$14.12
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.46
$6.20
+39.0%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Virginia Beach?
Average 1BR: $1,547/mo · 2BR: $2,225/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
179k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,115
$58k/yr
Top Sector
Professional & Business Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$91k
household median
Employment by Sector — Virginia Beach
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$78k/yr
~$62k/yr
~$26k/yr
~$45k/yr
~$84k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 51810
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$1,606/wk · $84k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$505/wk · $26k/yr
Virginia Beach Cost of Living FAQ
Is Virginia Beach, VA expensive to live in?
Virginia Beach has a cost of living index of 98, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the most affordable of the 10 Virginia cities we track.
What is the average rent in Virginia Beach, VA?
Typical rent in Virginia Beach is $1,886 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 2% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,547 and two bedrooms about $2,225. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Virginia Beach?
Rent in Virginia Beach rose 7.1% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Virginia Beach?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.03 a gallon in Virginia Beach as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Virginia. That is 1% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Virginia Beach?
Homes in Virginia pay an average of 17.6 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Virginia Beach is about $159.
How much is car insurance in Virginia Beach?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,880 a year in Virginia, or about $157 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Virginia Beach?
Median household income in the Virginia Beach area is $90,685 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $34,339 a year, or 38% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Virginia Beach compare with the rest of Virginia?
Rent in Virginia Beach is 17% above the $1,606 average across the 10 Virginia cities we track, and its cost of living index of 98 compares with a state average of 106.
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