Route comparison
Washington, DC vs Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Washington, DC
DC
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 111.3
- Housing RPP
- 156.3
- Goods RPP
- 107.2
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,045/mo
DC income tax 4%-10.75%. MD and VA suburbs have own state taxes.
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.
Equivalent salary
Philadelphia, PA is cheaper than Washington, DC by about 9.5% (RPP 111.3 to 100.7).
$60,000 in Washington, DC
-> $54,286
in Philadelphia, PA
$100,000 in Washington, DC
-> $90,476
in Philadelphia, PA
$150,000 in Washington, DC
-> $135,714
in Philadelphia, 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: Washington, DC vs Philadelphia, PA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Washington, DC
- Net people
- −45,746
- Net rank
- #61 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Anne Arundel County, MD. Largest destination: Anne Arundel County, MD.
Philadelphia, 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.
Rent delta: Philadelphia, PA is $308/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Washington, DC. Housing RPP moves from 156.3 to 115.8.
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 Philadelphia, PA cheaper or more expensive than Washington, DC?
- Philadelphia, PA (RPP 100.7) is cheaper than Washington, DC (RPP 111.3) by about 9.5%.
- What salary do I need in Philadelphia, PA if I earn $100,000 in Washington, DC?
- You would need approximately $90,476 in Philadelphia, PA to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Washington, DC. Formula: $100,000 x (100.7 / 111.3).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Washington, DC or Philadelphia, PA?
- For 2021-2022, Washington, DC had a net loss of 45,746 people, while Philadelphia, PA had a net loss of 19,301 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.