CostIndexUSA

Palm Bay, FL vs Richmond, VA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

FL
Palm Bay
100
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
More AffordableVA
Richmond
97.9
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Richmond is slightly cheaper than Palm Bay — 2.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Palm Bay, you would need $78,300 in Richmond. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing11.3%
Palm Bay
111.7
Richmond
99.1
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Palm Bay
96.2
Richmond
96.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Palm Bay
103.8
Richmond
103.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Palm Bay
93.9
Richmond
93.7
Utilities+1.2%
Palm Bay
88.1
Richmond
89.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Palm Bay to see what you'd need to earn in Richmond to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Richmond, VA
$78,300
$1,700 less needed in Richmond

Formula: salary × (97.9 ÷ 100) = salary × 0.9790. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Palm Bay, FL

Median Home Price
$336,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
111.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

Richmond, VA

Median Home Price
$381,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
99.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.2×

Palm Bay has 11.3% lower housing costs compared to Richmond.

Income & Job Market

Palm Bay, FL

Median Household Income
$78,600
Per Capita Income
$44,800
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
119,760
Top Industries
AerospaceHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingRetail

Richmond, VA

Median Household Income
$84,300
Per Capita Income
$48,100
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
226,610
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Palm Bay, FL
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Richmond, VA
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.