A+
8%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
23%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Roanoke Virginia National
Cost of living92109100
Goods & Services96100100
Groceries97101100
Health care8999100
Housing77130100
Transportation9895100
Utilities116104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Roanoke, VA

Understanding the cost of living in Roanoke can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Roanoke cost of living index is 92, which is 8% lower than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

Everyday expenditures like food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care in Roanoke are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Roanoke can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Roanoke?

Locals have the inside scoop on their city. So, we polled 16 residents in Roanoke to learn how they view the cost of living. We asked how they felt about the cost of living in their area, and if they thought that prices were increasing, decreasing or staying the same. The verdict? 63% find it reasonable with decreasing prices, but 38% think it's quite pricey, with prices that continue to rise.

Is Roanoke Affordable?

Is Roanoke an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Roanoke, the median home price is 27% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 15.3% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Roanoke come in at $45,664, which is 17.5% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Roanoke?

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Roanoke comes in at 16.2% higher than the national average.

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Roanoke, the groceries index is 3.1% lower than the national average.

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Roanoke, the transportation index is 2.4% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Roanoke cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Roanoke is 16% lower than the Virginia average
  • The cost of living in Roanoke is 8% lower than the national average
  • Roanoke housing is 23% lower than the national average
  • Virginia general sales tax is 4% higher than the national average
  • Virginia state income tax is 23% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Roanoke

See all the best places to live around Roanoke

Compare Roanoke, VA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$59,324$4,944$1,384$1,780
      Renters$30,800$2,567$719$924
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Roanoke is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Roanoke has a median income of about $59,324 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $1,384 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $30,800. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $719 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Virginia Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Virginia 5.3% 6%

      Virginia Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Virginia 2% 5.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      Haircut $14.40$24.2640.6%
      Beauty Salon $33.51$45.5626.5%
      Toothpaste $3.66$3.701.1%
      Shampoo $1.20$1.286.0%
      Movie $13.42$12.1310.6%
      Bowling $13.22$18.0026.5%

      Groceries

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.36$5.848.3%
      Fried Chicken $1.43$1.579.3%
      Milk $4.59$4.671.8%
      Potatoes $4.93$4.930.0%
      Pizza $14.11$12.0916.7%
      Beer $10.63$10.412.1%

      Health Care

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $121.62$125.683.2%
      Doctor $150.70$135.7811.0%
      Dentist $109.15$113.293.7%
      Ibuprofen $10.39$10.652.5%
      Lipitor $484.30$468.603.4%

      Housing

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      Home Price $134,900.00$184,700.0027.0%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,912.27$2,346.6918.5%
      Apartment Rent $804.00$949.0015.3%

      Transportation

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.29$3.464.9%
      Tire Balancing $41.28$59.9231.1%

      Utilities

      Item Roanoke National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $240.27$193.9923.9%
      Phone $184.83$192.253.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Lafayette, VA813963.6%
      Montvale, VA486919.0%
      Vinton, VA8,102937.2%
      Boones Mill, VA149936.6%
      Elliston, VA1,040945.8%
      Roanoke, VA99,122927.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Carmel, IN99,13012020.0%
      Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC99,027n/a 
      Lee's Summit, MO98,9971032.7%
      Spokane Valley, WA99,2751088.3%
      Boca Raton, FL98,77614444.3%
      Roanoke, VA99,122927.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.