Often called “The Resort City,” Virginia Beach, VA, is an iconic Mid-Atlantic city. From its acclaimed restaurants to its easy access to all Virginia has to offer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nearly 457,700 people are living in Virginia Beach.
If you’re considering buying a home in Virginia Beach, know that the housing market is very competitive, the median home sale price is $333,000, and the average sale price per square foot is $200. And if you’re looking to rent, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Virginia Beach is about $1,547.
If those prices don’t fit into your budget, don’t worry. We’ve collected the 5 best affordable Virginia Beach suburbs to consider moving to. And the best part is that they’re all less than 45 minutes away from the city center. No matter where you move, you’ll still be close enough to Virginia Beach to explore all the city has to offer without the price of living there.
#1: Portsmouth
Median home price: $236,500
Average sale price per square foot: $155
Average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: $1,000
Driving distance from Virginia Beach: 25 minutes
Portsmouth, VA homes for sale
Portsmouth, VA apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $236,500, Portsmouth takes the number one spot on our list of affordable Virginia Beach suburbs. About 97,900 people live in this suburban area and you’ll only be about a 25-minute drive away from downtown Virginia Beach. Living in Portsmouth, you can stroll through the charming Olde Towne Historic District, see an outdoor concert at Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion, explore Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, or grab dinner at a waterfront restaurant.
#2: Hampton
Median home price: $241,500
Average sale price per square foot: $165
Average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: $1,305
Driving distance from Virginia Beach: 35 minutes
Hampton, VA homes for sale
Hampton, VA apartments for rent
Hampton is just a little more expensive than Portsmouth. Just about 35 minutes from Virginia Beach, you can spend the afternoon relaxing at one of the beaches or have some amazing local seafood in no time. Make sure to visit the historic Fort Monroe National Monument, take a tour of Virginia Air and Space Center or one of the other museums, or spend the afternoon relaxing on Buckroe Beach. When living in this suburb of 137,200 people, you can also spend the day checking out the charming downtown.
#3: Norfolk
Median home price: $294,900
Average sale price per square foot: $186
Driving distance from Virginia Beach: 25 minutes
Norfolk, VA homes for sale
Norfolk, VA apartments for rent
Drive just 25 minutes away from Virginia Beach and you’ll reach Norfolk, another great suburb. There’s plenty of charming and outdoorsy activities to take part in when living in Norfolk. Make sure to visit the Virginia Zoo, explore the Chrysler Museum of Art or the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, check out the USS Wisconsin at Nauticus, and stroll along the Elizabeth River Trail if you move to the third most affordable suburb.
#4: Chesapeake
Median home price: $363,448
Average sale price per square foot: $189
Average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: $1,435
Driving distance from Virginia Beach: 30 minutes
Chesapeake, VA homes for sale
Chesapeake, VA apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Norfolk is the suburb of Chesapeake. About 249,400 people live in this Virginia Beach suburb, where you can visit the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge with over 112,000 acres of wetlands and forests, and explore the Chesapeake Arboretum or the Chesapeake Planetarium.
#5: Moyock, NC
Median home price: $406,390
Average sale price per square foot: $184
Driving distance from Virginia Beach: 45 minutes
Moyock, NC homes for sale
Moyock, NC apartments for rent
About a 45-minute drive into the city, consider adding Moyock, NC, to your list of Virginia Beach suburbs to consider living in. Home to 5,200 residents, this affordable town can be a great choice for people looking to remain close to Virginia Beach without paying the price for a home in the city. Living in Moyock, you’ll have easy access to all the attractions throughout the city of Virginia Beach.
Methodology: Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s median home sale price or average sale price per square foot is less than Virginia Beach and under a 45-minute drive from downtown Virginia Beach. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during March 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com March 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
