City profile
Philadelphia, PA cost of living
PA · BLS RPP 100.7
Overall RPP
100.7
US = 100
Housing RPP
115.8
Housing component
Goods RPP
95.5
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,737/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Philadelphia, PA sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#27 of 67
+0.7 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+2.3
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#24 of 67
+131/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Philadelphia, PA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Philadelphia, PA metro.
Moved in
241,817
people · 149,462 households
Moved out
261,118
people · 159,049 households
Net
−19,301
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#55 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
-19,197
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 2% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Mercer County, NJ 4,926
- Kings County, NY 4,702
- Middlesex County, NJ 3,074
- Berks County, PA 2,771
- Queens County, NY 2,662
Where residents moved to
- Berks County, PA 3,921
- Kent County, DE 3,408
- Atlantic County, NJ 2,920
- Lancaster County, PA 2,895
- Sussex County, DE 2,751
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Philadelphia, PA?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Philadelphia, PA | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,350 | $50,000 x (100.7/100) |
| $75,000 | $75,525 | $75,000 x (100.7/100) |
| $100,000 | $100,700 | $100,000 x (100.7/100) |
| $125,000 | $125,875 | $125,000 x (100.7/100) |
| $150,000 | $151,050 | $150,000 x (100.7/100) |
| $200,000 | $201,400 | $200,000 x (100.7/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Pennsylvania flat income tax 3.07%. Philadelphia city wage tax 3.75% residents.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Philadelphia, PA?
- Philadelphia, PA has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 100.7 (US average = 100). It is 0.7% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Philadelphia, PA?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $100,700 in Philadelphia, PA to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Philadelphia, PA?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is approximately $1,737 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Philadelphia, PA?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 241,817 people moved into the Philadelphia, PA metro and 261,118 moved out — a net loss of roughly 19,301 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Mercer County, NJ.
Curated nearby & similar cities
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