Living Cost Compare
Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Rapid City, SD versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,712 in Rapid City, SD and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 28% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Rapid City, SD
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$533
$1,496
+181% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$807
$1,357
+68% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,156
$1,559
+35% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,260
$1,857
+47% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$270,000
$366,300
+36% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$65,712
$90,685
+38% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,270
$49,430
+7% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.0 yr
37.4 yr
+1.6 yr in Rapid City, SD
Homeownership
61.6%
64.9%
+3.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
40.4%
+4.0 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
17.4 min
23.2 min
+5.8 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
718.9
96.9
+87% in Rapid City, SD
Property Crime
3,795.8
1,664.9
+56% in Rapid City, SD

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
47.1°F
59.9°F
+12.8°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
16.3 in
44.3 in
+28.0 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
17.2
+12% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.26
$27.20
+78% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Rapid City, SD
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Virginia Beach, VA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Rapid City, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Rapid City, SD
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Rapid City, SD
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 (SD / VA)
4.2%
5.3%
+1.1 pp in VA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Rapid City vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Rapid City or Virginia Beach?
Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Rapid City than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $32,000 a year in Rapid City versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Rapid City or Virginia Beach?
Rapid City is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).