Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Virginia Beach?

Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.

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

Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Virginia Beach?

Salt Lake City is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Salt Lake City vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 17% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$997

$1,496

+50% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,166

$1,357

+16% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,461

$1,559

+7% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,993

$1,857

+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$495,700

$366,300

+26% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$74,925

$90,685

+21% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$55,240

$49,430

+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.0 yr

37.4 yr

+4.4 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

46.8%

64.9%

+18.1 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

50.9%

40.4%

+10.5 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Avg Commute

19.6 min

23.2 min

+3.6 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

878.8

96.9

+89% in Salt Lake City, UT

Property Crime

5,257.3

1,664.9

+68% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.8°F

59.9°F

+7.1°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

16.1 in

44.3 in

+28.2 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.86/gal

+10% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.0

17.6

+36% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$10.26

$23.66

+131% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Salt Lake City, UT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Salt Lake City, UT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (UT / VA)

6.1%

5.3%

+0.8 pp in UT

Income Tax (top rate)

4.50%

5.75%

+1.3 pp in VA

Salt Lake City vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Virginia Beach?: Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Virginia Beach?: Salt Lake City is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).