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 | Portsmouth | Roanoke | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,225/mo | $917/mo | 33.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $213,300 | $162,000 | 31.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,154 | $51,523 | 10.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.3 | 97.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.2 | 90.7 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 99.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 97.5 | 97.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Portsmouth, you'd need $90,371 in Roanoke to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Roanoke, VA is about 9.6% cheaper overall than Portsmouth, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% lower in Roanoke than in Portsmouth. If you earn $80,000 in Portsmouth, you'd need about $72,297 in Roanoke to keep the same standard of living.