Living Cost Compare
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,540/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,740 in Sacramento, CA versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $83,753 in Sacramento, CA and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 8% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Sacramento, CA
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,496
+19% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$1,418
$1,357
+4% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,742
$1,559
+11% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,973
$1,857
+6% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$484,600
$366,300
+24% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,753
$90,685
+8% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750
$49,430
+17% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
37.4 yr
+1.7 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
51.5%
64.9%
+13.4 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
40.4%
+4.0 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
25.6 min
23.2 min
+2.4 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
757.2
96.7
+87% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
2,615.3
1,664.3
+36% in Sacramento, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
61.0°F
59.9°F
+1.1°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
18.5 in
44.3 in
+25.8 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.91/gal
$4.30/gal
+27% in Sacramento, CA

Area: California vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
$2.00
+20% in Sacramento, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.4
17.1
+49% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$18.75
+10% in Sacramento, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Sacramento, CA
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Sacramento, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / VA)
7.25%
5.3%
+2.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
5.75%
+7.6 pp in CA

Sacramento vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Sacramento or Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Sacramento than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Sacramento versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Sacramento or Virginia Beach?
Sacramento is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).