Moving to Virginia from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Virginia, you would find that Virginia is 5.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $68,406 in Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and Virginia. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $68,406 To maintain the same standard of living in Virginia How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 5.4% less Groceries pay 4.6% more Transportation pay 5.8% less Housing pay 19.1% less Childcare pay 0.2% less Entertainment and Sports pay 12.2% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Virginia cost about 19% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head The numbers behind daily life in Virginia compared to California. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Virginia performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Virginia leads in uninsured rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Virginia performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work California generally does better on infrastructure, though Virginia leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though Virginia leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree California generally does better on family life, though Virginia leads in bachelor's degree or higher. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: On average Virginia is about 9% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap. Budget about $17,102 for 3 months in Virginia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit. Virginia performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Virginia leads in uninsured rate. The average high temperature in Richmond is 70°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Richmond receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Richmond Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Richmond Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Virginia than California?
How much money do I need to move to Virginia?
Is Virginia safe?
How is healthcare in Virginia compared to California?
What's the weather like in Virginia compared to California?
