City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 10.4% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $110,400 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,645 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Roanoke, VA ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,613 in Roanoke | $110,359 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,645/yr.
100 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,645/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Phoenix → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $62,010 | $68,434 (+15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $121,110 | $133,656 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $77,240 | $85,241 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $80,090 | $88,387 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.