Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would need to be about $26,990 in Roanoke city, VA, or $23,010 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Fairfax County, VA vs Roanoke city, VA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Roanoke city, VA is cheaper than Fairfax County, VA.
Moving to Roanoke city, VA is estimated to save $36,255 per year.
Cheaper County
Roanoke city, VASave about $36,255 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Fairfax County, VA is about $26,990 in Roanoke city, VA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $363 per year. Housing saves $16,843 per year.
Housing: $16,843 lower in Roanoke city, VA
Taxes: $11,505 lower in Roanoke city, VA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $363 higher in Roanoke city, VA
Food: $1,154 lower in Roanoke city, VA
Transport: $1,529 lower in Roanoke city, VA
Fairfax County, VA→Roanoke city, VA
Equivalent salary in Roanoke city, VA
$26,990
-46.02% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Fairfax County, VA: $178,683
Median Income in Roanoke city, VA: $68,319
Living Index in Fairfax County, VA 44.09%
Living Index in Roanoke city, VA 62.25%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Fairfax County, VA to Roanoke city, VA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Fairfax County, VA to Roanoke city, VA is estimated to save $36,255 per year. A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $26,990 in Roanoke city, VA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -46.02% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $16,843 per year lower (-62.41%); Taxes is $11,505 per year lower (-58.08%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Fairfax County, VA and Roanoke city, VA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.1% of median family income in Fairfax County, VA and 62.3% in Roanoke city, VA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $16,843 per year lower in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Roanoke city, VA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $1,154 per year lower in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Roanoke city, VA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,529 per year lower in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Roanoke city, VA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $363 per year higher in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Roanoke city, VA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $5,587 per year lower in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Roanoke city, VA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Fairfax County, VA and Roanoke city, VA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Roanoke city, VA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $11,505 per year lower in Roanoke city, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Roanoke city, VA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Roanoke city, VA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Roanoke city, VA
Annual Increase:
$363 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Roanoke city, VA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Roanoke city, VA
Annual Savings:
$16,843 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Roanoke city, VA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -62% lower | |
| Food | -22% lower | |
| Transport | -12% lower | |
| Healthcare | 8% higher | |
| Other Costs | -56% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -58% lower |
In Roanoke city, VA, modeled annual costs are $42,531 compared with $78,786 in Fairfax County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Roanoke city, VA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Roanoke city, VA and Fairfax County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
