Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Virginia Beach?

Albuquerque, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,540, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Virginia Beach?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Virginia Beach?

Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Albuquerque vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,040/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,540/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,040 in Albuquerque, NM versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Albuquerque, NM is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 28% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Albuquerque, NM

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$797

$1,496

+88% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$889

$1,357

+53% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,140

$1,559

+37% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,459

$1,857

+27% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,700

$366,300

+37% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income

$65,604

$90,685

+38% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,060

$49,430

+3% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.7 yr

37.4 yr

+1.3 yr in Albuquerque, NM

Homeownership

61.5%

64.9%

+3.4 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.7%

40.4%

+1.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

22.2 min

23.2 min

+1.0 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,193.2

96.7

+92% in Albuquerque, NM

Property Crime

4,766.2

1,664.3

+65% in Albuquerque, NM

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

57.2°F

59.9°F

+2.7°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

9.4 in

44.3 in

+34.9 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.99/gal

$4.30/gal

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

Free

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — ABQ RIDE vs HRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.8

17.1

+15% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.90

$18.75

+58% in Virginia Beach, VA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Albuquerque, NM

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Albuquerque, NM

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Albuquerque, NM

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Albuquerque, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Albuquerque, NM

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Albuquerque, NM

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NM / VA)

4.875%

5.3%

+0.4 pp in VA

Income Tax (top rate)

5.90%

5.75%

+0.2 pp in NM

Albuquerque vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Virginia Beach?: Albuquerque, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,540, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Virginia Beach?: Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).