Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Virginia Beach?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Virginia Beach?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Concord vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 8% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,496

+71% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,357

+20% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,559

+6% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,857

+5% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$366,300

+13% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$90,685

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$49,430

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

37.4 yr

+3.3 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

64.9%

+7.5 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

40.4%

+0.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

23.2 min

about equal

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

96.9

+46% in Concord, NH

Property Crime

1,251.5

1,664.9

+33% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

59.9°F

+13.5°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

44.3 in

+3.7 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

17.2

+36% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$27.20

+26% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Concord, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / VA)

None

5.3%

+5.3 pp in VA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.75%

+5.8 pp in VA

Concord vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Virginia Beach?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Virginia Beach?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).