Cost of Living Comparison Between Roanoke, VA and Albury Cost of Living Comparison Between Roanoke, VA and Albury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,900 in Roanoke, VA versus $1,814 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Roanoke, VA versus $2,766 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Roanoke, VA versus $3,717 in Albury.

Living in Roanoke, VA is roughly 5% more expensive than Albury, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Roanoke, VA 42% above, Albury 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$16.04 A$22.35

22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 $71.7

$86.7 A$121

-17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 $11.11

$9.92 A$13.82

12.00%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.48 A$4.85

45.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.65 A$3.70

-19.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.35 A$3.27

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 $3.80

$6.53 A$9.10

-41.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$6.44 A$8.97

-39.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.41 A$1.97

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.56 A$3.57

22.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.78 A$2.49

114.61%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$4.12 A$5.74

-30.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 $9.43

$8.06 A$11.23

17.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$8.95 A$12.48

-15.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 $15.27

$11.62 A$16.19

31.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.14 A$4.38

33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.82 A$3.93

-57.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.07 A$4.28

6.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.88 A$6.80

-10.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.32 A$3.23

-9.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.94 A$2.70

40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.12 A$2.95

-24.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.35 A$1.88

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$23.51 A$32.77

-60.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 $10.81

$14.85 A$20.70

-27.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.13 A$5.75

-57.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$5.63 A$7.85

-76.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.54 A$3.53

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.2 $85.2

$66.0 A$91.9

29.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.29 A$4.58

-24.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.72 A$2.40

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.28 $22.28

$38.75 A$54.0

-42.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.14 A$1.58

-23.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.3K $23.3K

$28.3K A$39.5K

-17.81%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.6K $24.6K

$22.9K A$31.9K

7.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$161 $161

$221 A$308

-27.11%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.5 $54.5

$29.26 A$40.78

86.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$53.1 A$73.9

17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.18 $16.18

$49.44 A$68.9

-67.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$21.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$11.99 A$16.71

-0.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$394 $394

$1,771 A$2,468

-77.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$13.4K A$18.7K

126.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.80 $27.80

$61.7 A$86.0

-54.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.40 $22.40

$39.77 A$55.4

-43.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$89.3 A$124

-13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$101 A$140

1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$810 A$1,128

74.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 $789

$616 A$858

28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 $2,068

$1,311 A$1,827

57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 $1,207

$960 A$1,337

25.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 $1,985

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 $1,991

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 $3,318

$3,682 A$5,131

-9.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.29

3.66%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Roanoke, VA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albury: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Roanoke, VA and $810 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Roanoke, VA vs $87.0 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $334 per month, with Roanoke, VA cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Roanoke, VA vs Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Roanoke, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Albury earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Roanoke, VA versus $810 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Roanoke, VA pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Albury – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $72.0 in Roanoke, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,814 in Albury versus $1,900 in Roanoke, VA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Roanoke, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Albury the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Roanoke, VA and Albury are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Roanoke, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.