Route comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Pittsburgh, PA: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Philadelphia, PA and Pittsburgh, PA. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Philadelphia, PA
PA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 100.7
- Housing RPP
- 115.8
- Goods RPP
- 95.5
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,737/mo
Pennsylvania flat income tax 3.07%. Philadelphia city wage tax 3.75% residents.
Pittsburgh, PA
PA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.9
- Housing RPP
- 74.9
- Goods RPP
- 97.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,161/mo
Pennsylvania flat income tax 3.07%. Pittsburgh wage tax 3% residents.
Equivalent salary
Pittsburgh, PA is cheaper than Philadelphia, PA by about 6.8% (RPP 100.7 to 93.9).
$60,000 in Philadelphia, PA
-> $55,948
in Pittsburgh, PA
$100,000 in Philadelphia, PA
-> $93,247
in Pittsburgh, PA
$150,000 in Philadelphia, PA
-> $139,871
in Pittsburgh, PA
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.
Migration signal: Philadelphia, PA vs Pittsburgh, PA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Philadelphia, PA
- Net people
- −19,301
- Net rank
- #55 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Mercer County, NJ. Largest destination: Berks County, PA.
Pittsburgh, PA
- Net people
- −6,114
- Net rank
- #44 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 1%
Largest source: Indiana County, PA. Largest destination: Mercer County, PA.
Rent delta: Pittsburgh, PA is $576/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Philadelphia, PA. Housing RPP moves from 115.8 to 74.9.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pittsburgh, PA cheaper or more expensive than Philadelphia, PA?
- Pittsburgh, PA (RPP 93.9) is cheaper than Philadelphia, PA (RPP 100.7) by about 6.8%.
- What salary do I need in Pittsburgh, PA if I earn $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA?
- You would need approximately $93,247 in Pittsburgh, PA to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA. Formula: $100,000 x (93.9 / 100.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Philadelphia, PA or Pittsburgh, PA?
- For 2021-2022, Philadelphia, PA had a net loss of 19,301 people, while Pittsburgh, PA had a net loss of 6,114 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.