Roanoke, VA vs Lake Charles, LA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lake Charles, LA has a modeled overall cost index 1.0% lower than Roanoke, VA.

Roanoke, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,230 / month
Lake Charles, LA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,200 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Roanoke, VA and Lake Charles, LA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Roanoke, VA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $352/month in Lake Charles, LA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,779 in Lake Charles, LA

Regional cost estimates: Roanoke, VA uses Winston-Salem, NC. Lake Charles, LA uses Baton Rouge, LA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$352

Savings

Annual Impact

$4.2K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Roanoke, VA

Population:97K

Cost Index:

91.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$202K

Lake Charles, LA

Population:80K

Cost Index:

90.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$190K

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Roanoke, VA

The Old Dominion State

97K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 97K residents.

Lake Charles, LA

The Pelican State

80K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Louisiana, this city has a population of 80K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Roanoke, VA vs Lake Charles, LA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Roanoke, VA	Lake Charles, LA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,298/mo	$2,002/mo	↓ $296less	12.9%
Healthcare	$639/mo	$492/mo	↓ $146less	22.9%
Other	$1,697/mo	$1,835/mo	↑ $138more	8.1%
All Utilities	$552/mo	$508/mo	↓ $43.15less	7.8%
Groceries	$1,019/mo	$1,013/mo	↓ $5.95less	0.6%
Transportation	$1,296/mo	$1,297/mo	↑ $1.41more	0.1%

Housing

↓ 12.9%

Roanoke, VA

$2,298

Lake Charles, LA

$2,002

Difference

$296

less

Healthcare

↓ 22.9%

Roanoke, VA

$639

Lake Charles, LA

$492

Difference

$146

less

Other

↑ 8.1%

Roanoke, VA

$1,697

Lake Charles, LA

$1,835

Difference

$138

All Utilities

↓ 7.8%

Roanoke, VA

$552

Lake Charles, LA

$508

Difference

$43.15

less

Groceries

↓ 0.6%

Roanoke, VA

$1,019

Lake Charles, LA

$1,013

Difference

$5.95

less

Transportation

↑ 0.1%

Roanoke, VA

$1,296

Lake Charles, LA

$1,297

Difference

$1.41

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$980

To$910

↓ $70.00

1 Bed

From$1,030

To$910

↓ $120

2 Bed

From$1,230

To$1,200

↓ $30.00

3 Bed

From$1,710

To$1,440

↓ $270

Roanoke, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $910–$1,090/mo

Lake Charles, LAZIP-level data

1BR range: $820–$1,160/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Roanoke, VA

$7,148

Monthly in Lake Charles, LA

$352

Difference

Home Values

Roanoke

Lake Charles

$202K

Median Value

$190K

↑ +2.7%

YoY Change

↑ +3.6%

↑ +47.3%

5-Year Change

↓ -18.1%

$142K - $295K

Price Range

$96K - $260K

Homes in Lake Charles are 6% less expensive than Roanoke

Calculate payment - Roanoke Calculate payment - Lake Charles

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $618

Per year

Monthly Difference

$51.46

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.4%

Rate difference

Roanoke, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Lake Charles, LA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Louisiana State Tax

Effective: 5.2%

$7.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.8%

$44.8K

Take-Home Pay

$8,770/month

$105.2K

Additional Tax Information

Roanoke, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

Property Tax:0.8%

Lake Charles, LA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.6%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Roanoke

Lake Charles

47 Good

Air Quality

51 Moderate

57.4%

Good Air Days

48.9%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

Before moving from Roanoke, VA to Lake Charles, LA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lake Charles, LA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Roanoke, VA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Roanoke to Lake Charles moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Lake Charles, LA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Roanoke, VA vs Lake Charles, LA

How do the cost estimates for Roanoke, VA and Lake Charles, LA compare?

Lake Charles, LA has a modeled overall cost index 1.0% lower than Roanoke, VA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Roanoke, VA, the model estimates $145,779 in Lake Charles, LA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Roanoke, VA and Lake Charles, LA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,230/month in Roanoke, VA and $1,200/month in Lake Charles, LA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Virginia and Louisiana on TaxTakeHome.com