Is it cheaper to live in Tacoma or Virginia Beach?

Tacoma, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Tacoma versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Tacoma or Virginia Beach?

Tacoma 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).

Tacoma vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Tacoma, WA is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,857 in Tacoma, WA and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 8% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. 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.

Tacoma, WA

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$1,178

$1,496

+27% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,332

$1,357

+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,693

$1,559

+8% in Tacoma, WA

3 Bedroom

$2,094

$1,857

+11% in Tacoma, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$454,600

$366,300

+19% in Tacoma, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$83,857

$90,685

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$72,610

$49,430

+32% in Tacoma, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.3 yr

37.4 yr

+0.1 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

56.5%

64.9%

+8.4 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.5%

40.4%

+6.9 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

29.0 min

23.2 min

+5.8 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,064.4

96.9

+91% in Tacoma, WA

Property Crime

5,695.2

1,664.9

+71% in Tacoma, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.1°F

59.9°F

+7.8°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

43.0 in

44.3 in

+1.3 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.12/gal

$3.86/gal

+25% in Tacoma, WA

Area: Washington vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.9

17.6

+18% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.41

$23.66

+16% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Tacoma, WA

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Tacoma, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Tacoma, WA

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Tacoma, WA

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Tacoma, 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

Tacoma vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tacoma or Virginia Beach?: Tacoma, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Tacoma than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Tacoma versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Tacoma or Virginia Beach?: Tacoma 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).