Roanoke, VA vs Athens, GA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Athens, GA and Roanoke, VA are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Roanoke works out to about $74,800 in Athens, before taxes.
- Housing is 2.3% lower in Athens, goods 0.5% lower and other services 0.1% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,776 a month in Athens and $1,400 in Roanoke, $4,512 a year more in Athens (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $367,000 in Athens and $298,000 in Roanoke.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.4%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Roanoke and Athens
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.6 | 93.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 78.5 | 76.8 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.7 |
| Category | Roanoke | Athens | Athens vs Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.6 | 93.3 | −0.3% |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.3 | −0.5% |
| Housing (rents) | 78.5 | 76.8 | −2.3% |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 89.3 | +0.4% |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.7 | +0.1% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,400 | $1,776 | +26.9% |
| Typical home value | $298,000 | $367,000 | +23.4% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Roanoke | $75,000 | $74,800 | −0.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Roanoke and Athens has narrowed since 2008: 1.8 points then, 0.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 92.4 | 94.2 |
| 2009 | 92.2 | 94.3 |
| 2010 | 94.3 | 94.7 |
| 2011 | 91.3 | 94.4 |
| 2012 | 93.1 | 93.3 |
| 2013 | 93.2 | 93.4 |
| 2014 | 93.2 | 93.5 |
| 2015 | 91.8 | 92.9 |
| 2016 | 92.0 | 93.7 |
| 2017 | 91.1 | 93.8 |
| 2018 | 91.9 | 90.5 |
| 2019 | 91.0 | 90.6 |
| 2020 | 90.2 | 90.2 |
| 2021 | 93.7 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.3 | 93.4 |
| 2023 | 91.2 | 93.5 |
| 2024 | 93.6 | 93.3 |
Goods
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.0 | 97.2 |
| 2009 | 94.9 | 95.1 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 96.7 |
| 2011 | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| 2012 | 95.4 | 96.2 |
| 2013 | 95.9 | 96.5 |
| 2014 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| 2015 | 94.7 | 95.8 |
| 2016 | 95.6 | 96.5 |
| 2017 | 95.4 | 96.3 |
| 2018 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2019 | 95.1 | 95.4 |
| 2020 | 95.2 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 96.1 | 95.8 |
| 2022 | 95.5 | 95.0 |
| 2023 | 97.1 | 96.3 |
| 2024 | 96.8 | 96.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 73.1 | 81.0 |
| 2009 | 78.5 | 86.8 |
| 2010 | 80.9 | 80.8 |
| 2011 | 67.7 | 76.4 |
| 2012 | 74.8 | 73.5 |
| 2013 | 75.1 | 73.6 |
| 2014 | 75.8 | 73.4 |
| 2015 | 70.5 | 70.8 |
| 2016 | 69.3 | 71.9 |
| 2017 | 68.7 | 76.0 |
| 2018 | 73.2 | 67.0 |
| 2019 | 73.9 | 69.7 |
| 2020 | 71.9 | 69.1 |
| 2021 | 78.3 | 79.5 |
| 2022 | 73.3 | 75.8 |
| 2023 | 67.6 | 77.9 |
| 2024 | 78.5 | 76.8 |
Utilities
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 87.4 | 90.0 |
| 2009 | 90.5 | 88.6 |
| 2010 | 91.2 | 90.6 |
| 2011 | 90.4 | 94.2 |
| 2012 | 91.9 | 93.8 |
| 2013 | 89.2 | 93.9 |
| 2014 | 91.0 | 94.8 |
| 2015 | 91.7 | 93.6 |
| 2016 | 90.0 | 91.4 |
| 2017 | 88.0 | 89.9 |
| 2018 | 90.0 | 89.6 |
| 2019 | 92.7 | 91.8 |
| 2020 | 90.9 | 92.5 |
| 2021 | 87.8 | 90.7 |
| 2022 | 89.6 | 91.5 |
| 2023 | 89.5 | 87.4 |
| 2024 | 88.9 | 89.3 |
Other services
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.1 | 98.1 |
| 2009 | 96.4 | 97.6 |
| 2010 | 98.8 | 99.7 |
| 2011 | 99.8 | 100.8 |
| 2012 | 99.7 | 100.8 |
| 2013 | 99.5 | 100.3 |
| 2014 | 99.6 | 100.1 |
| 2015 | 100.1 | 100.7 |
| 2016 | 100.7 | 101.9 |
| 2017 | 98.7 | 100.1 |
| 2018 | 98.0 | 97.5 |
| 2019 | 95.4 | 95.6 |
| 2020 | 95.1 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 99.6 | 99.4 |
| 2022 | 99.6 | 99.5 |
| 2023 | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 98.6 | 98.7 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,776 in Athens vs $1,400 in Roanoke
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $748 | $839 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $757 | $865 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $762 | $852 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $756 | $867 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $763 | $869 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $770 | $905 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $790 | $909 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $802 | $927 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $786 | $935 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $796 | $939 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $808 | $966 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $796 | $981 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $799 | $1,021 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $819 | $1,042 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $839 | $1,047 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $827 | $1,076 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $841 | $1,076 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $872 | $1,107 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $875 | $1,129 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $869 | $1,168 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $895 | $1,167 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $894 | $1,178 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $924 | $1,211 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $914 | $1,246 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $933 | $1,275 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $974 | $1,303 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,012 | $1,371 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,045 | $1,400 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,082 | $1,432 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,131 | $1,499 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,156 | $1,541 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,157 | $1,535 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,170 | $1,608 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,210 | $1,617 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,229 | $1,644 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,221 | $1,660 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,240 | $1,671 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,272 | $1,702 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,290 | $1,705 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,293 | $1,712 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,313 | $1,716 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,328 | $1,718 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,353 | $1,735 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,343 | $1,747 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,376 | $1,768 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,388 | $1,754 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,400 | $1,776 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $367,000 in Athens vs $298,000 in Roanoke
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Roanoke, VA
- Athens, GA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Roanoke, VA | Athens, GA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $155K | $157K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $157K | $159K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $158K | $160K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $159K | $163K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $159K | $165K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $159K | $167K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $160K | $169K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $162K | $170K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $163K | $173K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $165K | $177K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $166K | $181K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $167K | $185K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $168K | $188K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $170K | $192K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $172K | $197K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $172K | $202K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $176K | $207K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $179K | $211K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $181K | $214K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $184K | $219K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $188K | $225K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $190K | $229K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $196K | $236K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $206K | $248K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $213K | $260K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $221K | $272K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $225K | $283K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $226K | $294K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $237K | $311K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $249K | $323K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $253K | $324K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $254K | $323K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $254K | $325K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $261K | $332K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $266K | $339K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $269K | $344K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $271K | $349K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $277K | $355K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $280K | $355K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $284K | $358K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $285K | $360K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $285K | $359K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $289K | $361K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $293K | $364K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $295K | $367K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $296K | $367K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $298K | $367K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.