What is the cost of living in Media, PA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Media has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Media has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 97.
The standard of living in Media ranks as #228 most affordable out of the 253 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Media ranks as the #25 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Media, check out:
Media Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Media. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Media is 101.
The Groceries index in Media is 96.
The Health index in Media is 170.
The Housing index in Media is 98.
The Transportation index in Media is 99.
The Utilities index in Media is 104.
| Living Expense | Media | Pennsylvania | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 122 | 97 | 100 |
| Services | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 100 | 100 |
| Health | 170 | 88 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 102 | 100 |
| Transportation | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 104 | 101 | 100 |
Media 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
Media, 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 Media is $632,297.
The Median Rent in Media is $1,411.
The Median Income in Media is $89,092.
The Home Value To Income in Media is 7.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Media is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Media | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $632,297 | $282,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,411 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $89,092 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.1x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Media, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Media Services costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Media | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.52 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.75 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.47 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.54 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $66.27 | $45.56 |
Detailed Media Groceries costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Media | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.67 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.73 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
Detailed Media Health costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Media | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.56 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $103.31 | $113.29 |
Detailed Media Transportation costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Media | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.53 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.89 | $59.92 |
Detailed Media Utilities costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Media | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.45 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.27 | $192.25 |
Media SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Media
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Media. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Ardmore, PA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Media.
Broomall, PA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x Media.
Woodlyn, PA has a cost of living index of 98, 0.8x Media.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardmore, PA | 13,909 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Broomall, PA | 10,679 | 124 | 1.0x |
| Woodlyn, PA | 9,736 | 98 | 0.8x |
| Conshohocken, PA | 9,282 | 124 | 1.0x |
| Folsom, PA | 8,671 | 107 | 0.9x |
| Brookhaven, PA | 8,331 | 105 | 0.9x |
| Glenside, PA | 7,659 | 115 | 0.9x |
| Swarthmore, PA | 6,550 | 132 | 1.1x |
| Blue Bell, PA | 6,424 | 145 | 1.2x |
| Paoli, PA | 6,362 | 125 | 1.0x |








