Is it cheaper to live in Topeka or Virginia Beach?

Topeka, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Topeka or Virginia Beach?

Topeka is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% 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).

Topeka vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Topeka

Kansas

$940/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Topeka, KS versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Topeka, KS is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,902 in Topeka, KS and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 38% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Kansas has a top state income tax rate of 5.58% 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.

Topeka, KS

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$702

$1,496

+113% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$758

$1,357

+79% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$977

$1,559

+60% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,177

$1,857

+58% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$130,600

$366,300

+180% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income

$55,902

$90,685

+62% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,540

$49,430

+0% in Topeka, KS

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.2 yr

37.4 yr

+0.8 yr in Topeka, KS

Homeownership

59.2%

64.9%

+5.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

29.1%

40.4%

+11.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

16.7 min

23.2 min

+6.5 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

856.5

96.9

+89% in Topeka, KS

Property Crime

3,660.2

1,664.9

+55% in Topeka, KS

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

55.1°F

59.9°F

+4.8°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

36.5 in

44.3 in

+7.9 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.7

17.2

+10% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$25.12

$27.20

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Topeka, KS

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Virginia Beach, VA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Topeka, KS

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Topeka, KS

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Topeka, KS

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (KS / VA)

6.5%

5.3%

+1.2 pp in KS

Income Tax (top rate)

5.58%

5.75%

+0.2 pp in VA

Topeka vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Topeka or Virginia Beach?: Topeka, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Topeka than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Topeka versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Topeka or Virginia Beach?: Topeka is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% 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).