One Of The Best Places To Live In The US Is A Popular Beach Town On The East Coast With An Average Cost Of Living

Virginia Beach, unlike some pricey cities in the U.S., has a blend of stunning views and affordability. It was ranked No. 134 in U.S. News & World Report's compilation of the 250 best cities to live in America for 2025-2026, ranked No. 2 in the publication's Best Places to Retire, and No. 4 in the Best Places to Live in Virginia. The city has a walkable oceanfront boardwalk, family-friendly neighborhoods, and low crime rates that can give you a balanced lifestyle full of activities and experiences. 

Virginia Beach also has a stable economy, thanks to military bases and nearby defense contractors. According to the U.S Department of Defense, Naval Air Station Oceana, which is located in Virginia Beach, injects about $1.1 billion a year into the local region's economy, as of fiscal year 2023. Plus, according to Apartments.com, the cost of living in Virginia Beach is 6% below the national average. This is why the city appeals to both young professionals seeking career growth, and retirees interested in living in a coastal area with a serene environment.

Housing costs in Virginia Beach remain reasonable compared with other coastal cities. In April 2025, Zillow's Home Value Index put the average Virginia Beach home value at around $415,868, and RentCafe reported that the average rent was $1,724 per month during the same month. One-bedroom apartments in Virginia Beach can go from $1,250 to $1,900, depending on location, while two-bedrooms can go from $1,200 to $2,200.

Groceries sit in the middle of the pack. MIT's 2024 Living Wage Calculator calculates that feeding a single adult in Virginia Beach costs $4,599 a year — about $383 a month — while a couple with two children costs roughly $13,480, or $1,123 monthly. Numbeo lists milk in Virginia Beach at $3.29 a gallon, bread at $2.66 a loaf, and a dozen eggs around $3.66, as of May 25, 2025.

While not one of the states with the highest utility bills, utilities in Virginia do lean higher. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says the average Virginia household paid $141.63 a month for electricity in 2023, using an average of about 993 kilowatt-hours per month. Unfortunately, Dominion Energy is seeking a 15% rate increase in 2025 that would add roughly $20 to a consumer's typical monthly bill, according to VPM News. Water has faced similar increases. According to the City of Virginia Beach, 2024 city rates imposed increases on existing consumer fees, like raising the monthly service fee an additional 53 cents and increasing both the monthly Sanitary Sewer Fee and Solid Waste Collection fees by several dollars.

Healthcare is reasonably priced in Virginia Beach. MIT's 2024 Living Wage Calculator pegs annual medical costs in Virginia Beach at $3,367 for a single adult and $10,715 for a family of four. The beach town has three acute-care hospitals; Sentara Virginia Beach General (with 273 beds), Sentara Princess Anne, and a hospital facility of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. Virginia Beach General and Princess Anne each earned an A safety grade in Leapfrog's 2024 Hospital Safety Grade report.

Police statistics also paint Virginia Beach as one of America's safer large cities. In 2024, violent crime dropped 22.3%, per City of Virginia Beach data, reaching its lowest point in the five years prior. WHRO reported a simultaneous 9% reduction in property crime, while another city report noted that homicides were down 54%, and shootings were down 47% year-over-year as of 2024.

If you are interested in exploring the city's offerings, you can start by visiting the three-mile Virginia Beach Boardwalk — a broad, 28-foot-wide path dotted with oceanfront cafés and a 34-foot-tall Neptune statue. If you love nature, head to First Landing State Park. Its pine-scented trails wind for 20 miles and lead to a quiet Chesapeake Bay beach. For history, climb the Cape Henry Lighthouse, America's first federally funded beacon, or wander among more than 50 vintage warplanes at the Military Aviation Museum. Like nearby Charlottesville, this unique mix of offerings can make Virginia Beach especially appealing to retirees.