$80K in Baltimore = $63,273 in Roanoke

Your $80K salary in Baltimore (COL 110) has the same purchasing power as $63,273 in Roanoke (COL 87). Roanoke is cheaper โ€” your money goes 21% further there.

$80K in Baltimore, MD
$4,737/mo take-home
Rent: $1,900/mo (40% of take-home)
Tight
$63,273/yr in Roanoke, VA
$3,694/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (32% of take-home)
Manageable

Budget breakdown โ€” $80K in both cities

What $80K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Baltimore
$80K
Roanoke
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,737$4,670
1BR rent$1,900$1,200
Groceries$391$361
Transport$88$48
Utilities$175$155
Internet$65$60
Left after essentials$2,118/month$2,846/month
To match your Baltimore purchasing power in Roanoke, you'd need to earn $63,273/year (21% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $1,870/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $2,118/mo in Baltimore.

Frequently asked questions

What is $80K in Baltimore equivalent to in Roanoke?

$80K in Baltimore (COL index 110) has the same purchasing power as $63,273 in Roanoke (COL index 87). That's 21% less than your current salary.

If I move from Baltimore to Roanoke keeping my $80K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Roanoke, you'd have $728 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Roanoke is cheaper than Baltimore.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $80K ร— (87 รท 110) = $63,273. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow ยท BLS ยท Numbeo ยท Q1 2026 ยท For general guidance only