Living Cost Compare
Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 39% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 57% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Cleveland, OH
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$678
$1,496
+121% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$732
$1,357
+85% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$903
$1,559
+73% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,081
$1,857
+72% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$94,100
$366,300
+289% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$39,187
$90,685
+131% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,140
$49,430
+1% in Cleveland, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.3 yr
37.4 yr
+1.1 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
41.2%
64.9%
+23.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
21.3%
40.4%
+19.1 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
22.9 min
23.2 min
+0.3 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,582
96.9
+94% in Cleveland, OH
Property Crime
4,531.3
1,664.9
+63% in Cleveland, OH

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.7°F
59.9°F
+7.2°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
36.4 in
44.3 in
+8.0 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.18/gal
$3.86/gal
+8% in Cleveland, OH

Area: Ohio vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.5
17.6
+10% in Cleveland, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.83
$23.66
+4% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Cleveland, OH
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Virginia Beach, VA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Cleveland, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Cleveland, OH
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Cleveland, OH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / VA)
5.75%
5.3%
+0.5 pp in OH
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
5.75%
+3.0 pp in VA

Cleveland vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Virginia Beach?
Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Virginia Beach?
Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).