Is it cheaper to live in Virginia Beach or Warwick?

Warwick, RI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $54,000 a year in Virginia Beach versus $43,000 in Warwick.

Which has lower taxes, Virginia Beach or Warwick?

Virginia Beach is taxed under Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax); Warwick under Rhode Island's (a top state income tax rate of 5.99% and a 7% state sales tax).

Virginia Beach vs Warwick Cost of Living 2026

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Warwick

Rhode Island

$1,390/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,390 in Warwick, RI. Overall, Warwick, RI is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA and $87,536 in Warwick, RI — about 3% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax; Rhode Island has a top state income tax rate of 5.99% and a 7% state sales tax.

Virginia Beach, VA

Warwick, RI

Rent

Studio

$1,496

$923

+38% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,357

$1,085

+20% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,559

$1,629

+4% in Warwick, RI

3 Bedroom

$1,857

$1,569

+16% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$366,300

$322,000

+12% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income

$90,685

$87,536

+3% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,430

$53,680

+9% in Warwick, RI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.4 yr

44.6 yr

+7.2 yr in Warwick, RI

Homeownership

64.9%

73.4%

+8.5 pp in Warwick, RI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.4%

33.2%

+7.2 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

23.2 min

25.0 min

+1.8 min in Warwick, RI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

96.9

79.5

+18% in Virginia Beach, VA

Property Crime

1,664.9

1,149.5

+31% 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

59.9°F

51.6°F

+8.3°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

44.3 in

47.2 in

+2.9 in in Warwick, RI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.2

29.2

+70% in Warwick, RI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.20

$25.75

+5% in Virginia Beach, VA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Warwick, RI

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Warwick, RI

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Warwick, RI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Warwick, RI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Warwick, RI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VA / RI)

5.3%

+1.7 pp in RI

Income Tax (top rate)

5.75%

5.99%

+0.2 pp in RI

Virginia Beach vs Warwick — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Virginia Beach or Warwick?: Warwick, RI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Virginia Beach than in Warwick?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $54,000 a year in Virginia Beach versus $43,000 in Warwick.
Which has lower taxes, Virginia Beach or Warwick?: Virginia Beach is taxed under Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax); Warwick under Rhode Island's (a top state income tax rate of 5.99% and a 7% 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).