Cost of Living in Philadelphia, PA
Cost of Living in Philadelphia, PA has an overall index of 97, 3% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $229,411; typical monthly rent is $1,734; and median household income is $60,698.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Zillow ZHVI market signal as of 2026-02. Rent: Zillow ZORI market signal as of 2026-02. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Typical rent takes a large share of local household income. This describes the local market, not your household.
Can your household carry the housing cost?
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Other Pennsylvania cities with a useful tradeoff.
Recommendations require usable housing and income data and exclude very small places for a city of this scale.
Frequently asked questions about Philadelphia
Living in Philadelphia
What is the cost of living like in Philadelphia, PA?+
Living costs in Philadelphia land close to the national average, with a Cost Index of 97 (where 100 = the US baseline). Housing is the largest variable: the median home value here is $229,411, and typical monthly rents are $1,734. Groceries and utilities are in line with what you would find in most US cities.
How does Philadelphia fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,734, while local median household income is $60,698. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 34% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Philadelphia, PA?+
Pennsylvania uses a flat model; 3.07% is top marginal-rate context. Applying the 1.58% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $229,411 gives a planning estimate near $3,625 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 6.34%.
How much does it cost to rent in Philadelphia, PA?+
The typical monthly rent in Philadelphia is around $1,734. That's about 29% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $229,411, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Philadelphia, PA?+
The typical home value in Philadelphia is $229,411. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $1,113/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 52% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Philadelphia?+
Grocery prices in Philadelphia are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 97, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are on the high side (index: 114). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.
What is Philadelphia, PA like to live in?+
Philadelphia is a major city with a population of about 1,582,432. The median age of residents is 35.1, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 22%, above the national average of 12.4%.