What is the cost of living in Oil City, PA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oil City has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Oil City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.
The standard of living in Oil City ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 253 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Oil City ranks as the #236 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Oil City, check out:
Oil City Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Oil City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Oil City is 95.
The Groceries index in Oil City is 99.
The Health index in Oil City is 40.
The Housing index in Oil City is 102.
The Transportation index in Oil City is 99.
The Utilities index in Oil City is 95.
| Living Expense | Oil City | Pennsylvania | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 84 | 97 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Health | 40 | 88 | 100 |
| Housing | 102 | 102 | 100 |
| Transportation | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 95 | 101 | 100 |
Oil City 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
Oil City, 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 Oil City is $87,761.
The Median Rent in Oil City is $821.
The Median Income in Oil City is $51,316.
The Home Value To Income in Oil City is 1.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Oil City is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Oil City | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $87,761 | $282,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $821 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $51,316 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 1.7x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Oil City, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Oil City Services costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Oil City | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.42 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.18 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.76 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.02 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.08 | $45.56 |
Detailed Oil City Groceries costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Oil City | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.35 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.33 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.52 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.46 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $9.45 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $8.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.63 | $3.7 |
Detailed Oil City Health costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Oil City | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $99.22 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.54 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $103.83 | $113.29 |
Detailed Oil City Transportation costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Oil City | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $79.53 | $59.92 |
Detailed Oil City Utilities costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Oil City | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $218.99 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $196.0 | $192.25 |
