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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. Pittsburgh leads at an index of 88 — we had to double-check this one — with rent at just $1,516/month — 20% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced fro…
Pennsylvania is a genuine bargain: 3 of the 3 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Pittsburgh leads at an index of 88 — we had to double-check this one — 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.
Why Pittsburgh ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 88 on the cost index, residents save roughly 23% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,516/month while the median household pulls in $64,137/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 88, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $230,723 — $236,647 below the national median.
Bottom line: Pittsburgh leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Pittsburgh — cost index 88, 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 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh | 88 | $1,516 | Details |
| 2 | Allentown | 99 | $1,699 | Details |
| 3 | Philadelphia | 101 | $1,734 | Details |
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 88 cost index sits 23 points below the national baseline, and the $64,137 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $230,723 — $236,647 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 88, while Healthcare trails at 98 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
Allentown earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 99 cost index sits 12 points below the national baseline, and the $53,403 — for better or worse — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $304,235 — $163,135 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 99, while Healthcare trails at 100.
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Look, Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 101. Rent: $1,734/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $60,698/year. Home price: $229,411. Population: 1,550,542. The strongest category is Healthcare at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 101. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,932 per year vs. the national median. That's the kind of stat homebuyers should print out for their mortgage meetings.
Pittsburgh ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for this analysis with a cost index of 88 and median income of $64,137.
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 88 and rent of $1,516/mo, while Philadelphia (ranked #3) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,734/mo — a 13-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.