Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Virginia Beach?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).

Portland vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,600/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 $1,600 in Portland, OR versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 2% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$1,496

+16% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$1,357

+6% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,559

+10% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,857

+10% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$366,300

+34% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$90,685

+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$49,430

+19% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

37.4 yr

+1.2 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

52.8%

64.9%

+12.1 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

40.4%

+13.1 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

23.2 min

+1.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

731.7

96.7

+87% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

5,605.5

1,664.3

+70% in Portland, OR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

54.5°F

59.9°F

+5.4°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

44.3 in

+1.5 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.30/gal

+23% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

$2.00

+29% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.9

17.1

+15% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.98

$18.75

+4% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Portland, OR

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Portland, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / VA)

None

5.3%

+5.3 pp in VA

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

5.75%

+4.2 pp in OR

Portland vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Virginia Beach?: Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Virginia Beach?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).