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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Pennsylvania is a genuine bargain: 3 of the 3 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And from what we can tell, pittsburgh leads at an index of 95 with rent at just $1,516/month — 20% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal …
Pennsylvania is a genuine bargain: 3 of the 3 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And from what we can tell, pittsburgh leads at an index of 95 with rent at just $1,516/month — 20% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Pittsburgh rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Pittsburgh has increased from $1,467 to $1,516/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
What does daily life actually cost in Pittsburgh? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 87) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $64,137 and homes at $230,723 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
The healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 101 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about -1% below the national median. Pittsburgh leads at 98, followed by Philadelphia (101) and Allentown (104). Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below. An outlier in the best sense.
The state-level view adds helpful context here. Pennsylvania — Philadelphia's corridor versus Appalachian values. The 3 cities we track here average a cost index of 98 and median income of $59,413. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,650/month, which is $245 less than the national median.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Pittsburgh — cost index 95, rent $1,516/mo, income $64,137
Pittsburgh rent up 3% over the past year
3 of 3 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Healthcare Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh | 98 | 95 | $1,516 | Details |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 101 | 98 | $1,734 | Details |
| 3 | Allentown | 104 | 101 | $1,699 | Details |
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
So, Pittsburgh. Cost index of 95 — we had to double-check this one — , rent at $1,516/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $64,137, which is below the national median. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
In plain English: the #2 spot goes to Philadelphia, and the breakdown explains why. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Renters here pay $1,734/month — saving renters $1,932 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 90, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 101. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
A closer look at Allentown: the cost index of 101 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Utilities index of 93 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 104 (weakest). Median rent is $1,699/month — 10% below the national median — while household income sits at $53,403, meaning locals spend about 38% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Pennsylvania. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Pittsburgh ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for this analysis with a cost index of 95 and median income of $64,137.
Pittsburgh, PA has the lowest healthcare index at 98, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Pittsburgh (ranked #1) has a cost index of 95 and rent of $1,516/mo, while Allentown (ranked #3) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,699/mo — a 6-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Pittsburgh is $1,516/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $379 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Pittsburgh is $230,723, which is 3.6× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Pennsylvania has a 3.07% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.34%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.36%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.