Roanoke, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Roanoke, VA Summary

Cost of living in Roanoke research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Roanoke is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Roanoke is 94, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Roanoke is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Roanoke ranks as the #22 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Roanoke ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Roanoke is $272,407.

  • The median income in Roanoke is $52,671.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
94
Roanoke's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Roanoke, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Roanoke has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Roanoke has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Roanoke ranks as #22 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Roanoke ranks as the #168 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Roanoke, check out:

22 out of 190
In Virginia
1,806 out of 6,489
In America

Roanoke Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Roanoke. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Roanoke is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Roanoke is 95.

  • The Health index in Roanoke is 88.

  • The Housing index in Roanoke is 78.

  • The Transportation index in Roanoke is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Roanoke is 114.

Living Expense Roanoke Virginia National Average
Overall 94 110 100
Services 98 101 100
Groceries 95 99 100
Health 88 98 100
Housing 78 130 100
Transportation 97 94 100
Utilities 114 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Roanoke Cost of Living Vs. VA

Roanoke, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Roanoke is $272,407.

  • The Median Rent in Roanoke is $964.

  • The Median Income in Roanoke is $52,671.

  • The Home Value To Income in Roanoke is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Roanoke is 0.22x.

Statistic Roanoke Virginia United States
Median Home Value $272,407 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $964 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $52,671 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.2x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$272,407
Median Home Value
$964
Median Rent
$52,671
Median Income

Roanoke, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Roanoke Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Roanoke Virginia
Shampoo $1.2 $1.28
Movie $13.42 $12.13
Bowling $13.22 $18
Haircut $14.4 $24.26
Beauty Salon $33.51 $45.56

Detailed Roanoke Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Roanoke Virginia
Ground Beef $5.36 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.59 $4.67
Potatoes $4.93 $4.93
Pizza $14.11 $12.09
Beer $10.63 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Roanoke Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Roanoke Virginia
Optometrist $121.62 $125.68
Doctor $150.7 $135.78
Dentist $109.15 $113.29

Detailed Roanoke Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Roanoke Virginia
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $41.28 $59.92

Detailed Roanoke Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Roanoke Virginia
All Electricity $240.27 $193.99
Phone $184.83 $192.25

Roanoke SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Roanoke

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Roanoke. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Lynchburg, VA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Roanoke.

  • Blacksburg, VA has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x Roanoke.

  • Cave Spring, VA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Roanoke.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Roanoke
Lynchburg, VA 79,255 93 1.0x
Blacksburg, VA 45,288 114 1.2x
Cave Spring, VA 26,014 106 1.1x
Salem, VA 25,477 100 1.1x
Christiansburg, VA 22,820 100 1.1x
Hollins, VA 17,005 100 1.1x
Madison Heights, VA 10,398 92 1.0x
Vinton, VA 8,038 95 1.0x
Lexington, VA 7,420 104 1.1x
Buena Vista, VA 6,612 91 1.0x

Articles About Virginia

Enjoy The Snack?