City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs San Luis Obispo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 16.0% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $116,000 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Roanoke, VA to San Luis Obispo, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,999 in San Luis Obispo | $86,208 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,914/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
29 Weak offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Luis Obispo, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, Roanoke → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $97,620 | $84,156 (+35.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $135,020 | $116,397 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $88,160 | $76,001 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $138,820 | $119,673 (+49.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.