Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,540/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 19% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$1,496
+38% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,357
+15% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,559
+11% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,857
+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$366,300
+33% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$90,685
+23% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$49,430
+4% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
37.4 yr
+3.8 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
54.8%
64.9%
+10.1 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
40.4%
+7.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
26.7 min
23.2 min
+3.5 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
492.4
96.7
+80% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,433.5
1,664.3
+32% in Arlington, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
59.9°F
+5.5°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
44.3 in
+4.7 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.30/gal
+9% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs HRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
17.1
+4% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$18.75
+24% in Arlington, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / VA)
6.25%
5.3%
+1.0 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Arlington vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Virginia Beach?
Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,540, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Virginia Beach?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).