01 · the cities
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 88 cities pretending to be one, connected by freeways and a shared love of really good tacos. Every neighborhood is its own scene: surfers in Venice, the Korean grandmas of K-town, mountains rising behind Pasadena, Persian rugs in Westwood. The light at golden hour is so good it makes Instagram filters jealous. Roll the windows down at golden hour, put on a playlist, and let the city stretch out.
full dispatch→Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,819/mo
$1,080/mo less than Los Angeles (59%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$375k
$655k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,035/mo
Virginia Beach has $1,376/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
283 days
211 days
72 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 18 more days above 95°F each year than Virginia Beach.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
57 / 100
10.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
17 routes
133 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
1.8M metro
Los Angeles has 11.6x more events per month than Virginia Beach.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Virginia Beach
categories won
Virginia Beach wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on lifestyle.
run your numbers
How far does your Los Angeles salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works