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 | Philadelphia | Roanoke | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $917/mo | 36.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $162,000 | 33.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $51,523 | 11.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 94.8 | 3.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 100.5 | 12.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 94.8 | 4.3% 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 Philadelphia, you'd need $73,362 in Roanoke to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Roanoke, VA is about 26.6% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 27% lower in Roanoke than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $58,689 in Roanoke to keep the same standard of living.