Living Cost Compare
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL versus $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Tampa, FL is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,302 in Tampa, FL and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 21% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Tampa, FL
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$1,242
$1,496
+20% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$1,324
$1,357
+2% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,673
$1,559
+7% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,729
$1,857
+7% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$375,300
$366,300
+2% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$71,302
$90,685
+27% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,940
$49,430
+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
37.4 yr
+1.8 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
50.2%
64.9%
+14.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.6%
40.4%
+4.2 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
24.7 min
23.2 min
+1.5 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
443.4
96.7
+78% in Tampa, FL
Property Crime
1,473.2
1,664.3
+13% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
73.4°F
59.9°F
+13.5°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
46.3 in
44.3 in
+2.0 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.25/gal
$4.30/gal
+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$2.00
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
17.1
+15% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$18.75
+21% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / VA)
6%
5.3%
+0.7 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Tampa vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or Virginia Beach?
Tampa, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,540, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Tampa 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 Tampa versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Tampa or Virginia Beach?
Tampa is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).