Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Seattle, WA's $2,020, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Virginia Beach?

Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Seattle vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Seattle

Washington

$2,020/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 $2,020 in Seattle, WA versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $121,984 in Seattle, WA and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 26% higher in Seattle, WA. Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Seattle, WA

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$1,638

$1,496

+9% in Seattle, WA

1 Bedroom

$1,858

$1,357

+27% in Seattle, WA

2 Bedroom

$2,359

$1,559

+34% in Seattle, WA

3 Bedroom

$2,918

$1,857

+36% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$912,100

$366,300

+60% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$121,984

$90,685

+26% in Seattle, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$72,610

$49,430

+32% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.5 yr

37.4 yr

+1.9 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

44.2%

64.9%

+20.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

67.5%

40.4%

+27.1 pp in Seattle, WA

Avg Commute

26.6 min

23.2 min

+3.4 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

787.3

96.7

+88% in Seattle, WA

Property Crime

5,107.9

1,664.3

+67% in Seattle, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

53.5°F

59.9°F

+6.4°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

37.7 in

44.3 in

+6.6 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.77/gal

$4.30/gal

+25% in Seattle, WA

Area: Seattle vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

$2.00

+27% in Seattle, WA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.4

17.1

+18% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.32

$18.75

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Seattle, WA

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Seattle, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Seattle, WA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Seattle, WA

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Seattle, WA

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Seattle, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WA / VA)

6.5%

5.3%

+1.2 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.75%

+5.8 pp in VA

Seattle vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Virginia Beach?: Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Seattle, WA's $2,020, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Seattle than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Virginia Beach?: Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).