City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs San Jose, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Jose, CA are 18.0% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $118,000 in San Jose, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,982 a month in San Jose, CA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Jose, 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 +25.0% moving from Roanoke, VA to San Jose, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- San Jose, CA: price level 110.4 (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 Jose, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 110.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,951 in San Jose | $84,781 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $2,982/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% | 48% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $84,050 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 211.9 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 156.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 110.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → San Jose, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
3 Weak offer
San Jose, CA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; 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 Jose, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to San Jose, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | San Jose, CA | Real change, Roanoke → San Jose |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | San Jose, CA | San Jose pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $102,860 | $87,206 (+40.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $213,110 | $180,677 (+49.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $121,700 | $103,179 (+33.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $216,740 | $183,755 (+129.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.