What is the cost of living in Harrisburg, PA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Harrisburg has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Harrisburg has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.
The standard of living in Harrisburg ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 253 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Harrisburg ranks as the #199 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Harrisburg, check out:
Harrisburg Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Harrisburg. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Harrisburg is 98.
The Groceries index in Harrisburg is 100.
The Health index in Harrisburg is 60.
The Housing index in Harrisburg is 100.
The Transportation index in Harrisburg is 95.
The Utilities index in Harrisburg is 95.
| Living Expense | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 97 | 100 |
| Services | 98 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Health | 60 | 88 | 100 |
| Housing | 100 | 102 | 100 |
| Transportation | 95 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 95 | 101 | 100 |
Harrisburg Cost Of Living Compared To Pennsylvania Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Pennsylvania
- Most Affordable Cities In Pennsylvania
- Average Rent In Pennsylvania
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Harrisburg, PA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Harrisburg is $263,369.
The Median Rent in Harrisburg is $1,062.
The Median Income in Harrisburg is $48,099.
The Home Value To Income in Harrisburg is 5.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Harrisburg is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $263,369 | $282,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,062 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $48,099 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.5x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Harrisburg, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Harrisburg Services costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.43 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.52 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.56 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.17 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $40.39 | $45.56 |
Detailed Harrisburg Groceries costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.65 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.49 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.67 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.13 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.7 |
Detailed Harrisburg Health costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.25 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $177.4 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.44 | $113.29 |
Detailed Harrisburg Transportation costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.66 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.88 | $59.92 |
Detailed Harrisburg Utilities costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $169.62 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.81 | $192.25 |
Harrisburg SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Harrisburg
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Harrisburg. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Progress, PA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Harrisburg.
Camp Hill, PA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.2x Harrisburg.
Palmyra, PA has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Harrisburg.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progress, PA | 11,017 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Camp Hill, PA | 8,169 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Palmyra, PA | 7,755 | 96 | 1.1x |
| Lower Allen, PA | 7,646 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Middletown, PA | 7,628 | 92 | 1.0x |
| New Cumberland, PA | 7,580 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Linglestown, PA | 6,957 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Enola, PA | 6,534 | 96 | 1.1x |
| Schlusser, PA | 5,402 | 97 | 1.1x |
