Is it cheaper to live in Paterson or Virginia Beach?

Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Paterson 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 Paterson versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Paterson or Virginia Beach?

Paterson is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Paterson vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $53,766 in Paterson, NJ and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 41% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Paterson, NJ

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$786

$1,496

+90% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$1,357

+15% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,468

$1,559

+6% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,729

$1,857

+7% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$335,400

$366,300

+9% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income

$53,766

$90,685

+69% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,430

$49,430

+20% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.3 yr

37.4 yr

+4.1 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

26.2%

64.9%

+38.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

12.5%

40.4%

+27.9 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

23.1 min

23.2 min

+0.1 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,010.1

96.9

+90% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

2,391.4

1,664.9

+30% in Paterson, NJ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.2°F

59.9°F

+7.7°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

49.0 in

44.3 in

+4.7 in in Paterson, NJ

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)

24.9

17.2

+31% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.68

$27.20

+54% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Paterson, NJ

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Paterson, NJ

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Paterson, NJ

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Paterson, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NJ / VA)

6.625%

5.3%

+1.3 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

10.75%

5.75%

+5.0 pp in NJ

Paterson vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Paterson or Virginia Beach?: Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Paterson 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 Paterson versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Paterson or Virginia Beach?: Paterson is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).