Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or Virginia Beach?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Denver vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 1% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Denver, CO

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$1,496

+0% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,357

+14% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,559

+20% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$1,857

+18% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$366,300

+38% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$90,685

+1% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$49,430

+21% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

37.4 yr

+2.2 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

49.1%

64.9%

+15.8 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

40.4%

+15.2 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

23.2 min

+2.2 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

998.3

96.7

+90% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

4,781.9

1,664.3

+65% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

50.2°F

59.9°F

+9.7°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

44.3 in

+28.7 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.58/gal

$4.30/gal

+6% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

$2.00

+27% in Denver, CO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.7

17.1

+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.64

$18.75

+61% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Denver, CO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Denver, CO

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / VA)

2.9%

5.3%

+2.4 pp in VA

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

5.75%

+1.3 pp in VA

Denver vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Virginia Beach?: Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Virginia Beach?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).