Philadelphia, PA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Philadelphia, PA Summary
Cost of living in Philadelphia research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Philadelphia is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Philadelphia is 102, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Philadelphia is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Philadelphia ranks as the #156 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Philadelphia ranks as the #2,846 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Philadelphia is $232,442.
The median income in Philadelphia is $60,698.
Table Of Contents
Philadelphia's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Philadelphia, PA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Philadelphia has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Philadelphia has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 100.
The standard of living in Philadelphia ranks as #156 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Philadelphia ranks as the #99 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Philadelphia, check out:
In Pennsylvania
In America
Philadelphia Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Philadelphia. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Philadelphia is 101.
The Groceries index in Philadelphia is 103.
The Health index in Philadelphia is 93.
The Housing index in Philadelphia is 99.
The Transportation index in Philadelphia is 108.
The Utilities index in Philadelphia is 111.
| Living Expense | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 99 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 111 | 108 | 100 | |
Philadelphia, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Philadelphia is $232,442.
The Median Rent in Philadelphia is $1,323.
The Median Income in Philadelphia is $60,698.
The Home Value To Income in Philadelphia is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Philadelphia is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $232,442 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,323 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $60,698 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.8x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Philadelphia, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Philadelphia Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Philadelphia | 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 Philadelphia Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Philadelphia | 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 Philadelphia Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.56 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $103.31 | $113.29 |
Detailed Philadelphia Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.53 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.89 | $59.92 |
Detailed Philadelphia Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.45 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.27 | $192.25 |
Philadelphia SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Philadelphia
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Philadelphia. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Camden, NJ has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Philadelphia.
Springdale, NJ has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x Philadelphia.
Montgomeryville, PA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.2x Philadelphia.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden, NJ | 71,471 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Springdale, NJ | 15,672 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Montgomeryville, PA | 13,572 | 127 | 1.2x |
| Greentree, NJ | 11,024 | 130 | 1.3x |
| Ashland, NJ | 9,437 | 116 | 1.1x |
| Glenside, PA | 7,941 | 118 | 1.2x |
| Palmyra, NJ | 7,447 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Maple Glen, PA | 6,851 | 138 | 1.4x |
| Ramblewood, NJ | 6,542 | 119 | 1.2x |
| Penn Wynne, PA | 6,220 | 131 | 1.3x |
