City Comparison

Daytona Beach vs Roanoke

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Daytona Beach

Florida
95
Below Average
$288,000
Median Home
$1,350/mo
Median Rent
$52,100
Median Income

Roanoke

Virginia
81
Very Affordable
$225,000
Median Home
$1,075/mo
Median Rent
$52,700
Median Income

The Verdict

17.3%

Roanoke is 17.3% less expensive than Daytona Beach overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $63,947 in Roanoke to maintain the same standard of living.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
93
Daytona Beach
57
Roanoke
Groceries
104
Daytona Beach
97
Roanoke
Utilities
101
Daytona Beach
116
Roanoke
Transportation
102
Daytona Beach
98
Roanoke
Healthcare
99
Daytona Beach
91
Roanoke

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Daytona Beach has the same purchasing power as $63,947 in Roanoke.

Conversely, $75,000 in Roanoke equals $87,963 in Daytona Beach.

Living in Daytona Beach vs Roanoke

Housing Costs

Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is higher Roanoke's 57, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $225,000. The $63,000 difference in home prices means roughly $4,092 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $1,075/mo in Roanoke, a monthly difference of $275.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 97 in Roanoke. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $461/month in Roanoke. Roanoke offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $396/year.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 101 in Daytona Beach and 116 in Roanoke. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $464 in Roanoke. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 99 in Daytona Beach and 91 in Roanoke. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $52,100 in Daytona Beach and $52,700 in Roanoke. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $65,062 respectively. Roanoke residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,216/month to housing in Daytona Beach vs $1,230/month in Roanoke. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Roanoke, median rent of $1,075/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 36 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roanoke is 17.3% more affordable overall with an index of 81 vs 95.
A $75,000 salary in Daytona Beach has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $63,947 in Roanoke, based on the cost of living difference.
Daytona Beach's housing index is 93 with median homes at $288,000, while Roanoke's is 57 with median homes at $225,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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