City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Roanoke | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,227/mo | $917/mo | 142.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $833,300 | $162,000 | 414.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $137,387 | $51,523 | 166.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 97.3 | 6.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 101.0 | 90.7 | 11.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 99.2 | 0.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.5 | 97.5 | 2.1% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $70,655 in Roanoke to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Roanoke, VA is about 29.3% cheaper overall than Arlington, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 52% lower in Roanoke than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $56,524 in Roanoke to keep the same standard of living.