City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 8.3% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $108,300 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Orlando, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Orlando, FL to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +8.3%, purely from prices.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- 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
| Orlando, FL | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,309 in Roanoke | $108,332 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
95 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Orlando → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $62,010 | $67,177 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $121,110 | $131,201 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $77,240 | $83,675 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $80,090 | $86,763 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.