Average Rent in Virginia Beach, VA: Figures and What They Mean
Published average rents for Virginia Beach range from about $1,650 to $2,400 a month. The gap comes mostly from unit size and how each source measures rent.
That range gives you a realistic starting point, but it describes the whole city, not the price of any one apartment.
Each site reports its figure on its own basis, so compare two or three before you set a budget.
Why do the average rent numbers for Virginia Beach differ?
RentCafe and Abrams report different Virginia Beach figures because they measure different things, not because one is wrong. Read the label on each number before you compare them.
Reported figures side by side
Because the two reports use different dates and scopes, a gap between them does not mean one is an error.
Average and median are not the same
An average adds up every rent and divides by the number of units. A few very expensive units pull it upward. A median is the middle rent when all rents are lined up from lowest to highest, so extreme values move it much less. Related reading: Average Rent in Lowell, MA: What the Latest Figures Show.
If one report gives a median and another gives an average, both can be correct and still look far apart.
One unit type is not the whole city
A figure that covers only apartments, or only two-bedrooms, measures one slice of the market. To compare fairly, match the unit type of the figure to the home you want to rent.
Put side by side, the two reports differ in method, date and scope. Read each number with its label, and you will see which one answers your question.
How much does rent cost by apartment size?
Rent in Virginia Beach rises with each bedroom you add. Across these reports, a studio is typically near $1,600 a month and a 2-bedroom near $1,900 [1][2]. Treat those figures as a planning range, not a quote for any one building.
Figures by source
Apartment Advisor lists a 1-bedroom at $1,775 and a 2-bedroom at $1,950 [1]. Those two numbers show how quickly the cost climbs when you need a second bedroom.
ApartmentFinder gives the most detail by size. It lists a studio at $1,606 a month with an average of 517 square feet, a 1-bedroom at $1,648 with 752 square feet, and a 2-bedroom at $1,884 with 1,031 square feet [2]. The square footage lets you compare what each rent buys, not only the monthly total.
A gap that large usually means the sites measure rent differently, so one site should not set your budget.
Using the size figures
Start with the row that matches the bedroom count you need. If you need two bedrooms, plan around the 2-bedroom figures rather than the 1-bedroom ones, even if a single-site 1-bedroom number looks affordable.
Each figure averages many buildings with different ages, finishes and locations. That makes these numbers a guide to the market for each unit size, not what one landlord will ask. Your actual rent depends on the neighborhood and the specific building you choose.
Is rent in Virginia Beach going up or down?
Rent in Virginia Beach went up over the most recent year reported, but the size of the increase depends on which measure you read. The three sources below each compare a recent figure with the same measure a year earlier.
RentCafe shows a 5.72% increase year over year for apartments [3]. That is the smallest rise of the three, and it applies to apartment rents specifically, not to every type of rental in the city.
ApartmentList reports prices up 8.6% year over year [4]. That is a faster rise than RentCafe's figure. The gap comes from the two sites measuring rent differently, so the numbers should not be averaged together or treated as a single trend.
Abrams calls the increases modest [5]. Its view is a summary of the same period rather than a separate measurement, so it helps you read the percentages but does not add a new number.
For a renter, the practical reading is that rents rose in the most recent period, and the percentage depends on the measure. If your lease renews soon, a rise in the range these sources report is worth planning for in your budget.
These are past changes, not a forecast. Rents can rise, fall or hold steady, and each source updates its figures on its own schedule.
How should you use these numbers when you budget?
Start with the figure for your bedroom count, because a citywide average mixes studios with larger homes. For a 2-bedroom, Apartment Advisor reports an average of $1,950 a month in Virginia Beach [1]. For a 1-bedroom, the same site lists $1,775 [1], and ApartmentFinder lists $1,648 a month [2]. A studio is lower still, at $1,606 a month on ApartmentFinder [2], so the unit you need sets your budget more than the citywide number does.
Compare two or three figures
Citywide numbers do not agree. Zillow puts the average at $2,395 [6], while Apartments.com reports $1,649 a month [7]. Those two differ by about $750 a month, so a budget built on one source could fall short by hundreds of dollars.
Pick two or three sources and note where each one lands. If they cluster, you have a reasonable planning range. If one stands far from the others, read how it describes its figures before you rely on it.
Use current listings for the rent you will pay
Published averages are reported over time and by method, so they can trail what landlords ask today. Search listings for your bedroom count in the neighborhoods you want. For example, if you need a 2-bedroom near the oceanfront, compare several of those units rather than only the cheapest.
A low rent can reflect age, location, or extra fees, so look at the full monthly cost. Add utilities, parking, and any move-in charges to the rent before you decide whether the unit fits your income.
Remember what the averages describe
These figures describe the market as a whole, not what any one landlord will ask. An average summarizes many units, so a single building can sit well above or below it. Treat the number as a planning range, then let the listings you find set your final figure.
What rent should you plan for in Virginia Beach?
Studios and 1-bedrooms sit at the lower end. ApartmentFinder lists $1,606 for a studio and $1,648 for a 1-bedroom [2].
These figures change by date, by method (average or median) and by unit size, so treat them as a starting point. Current listings show the rent you will actually pay. You may also find this useful: Average Rent in Clarksville, TN: What the 2026 Figures Say.