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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. Philadelphia leads at an index of 98 with rent at just $1,734/month — 8% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Philadelphia — cost index 98, rent $1,734/mo, income $60,698
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
Pennsylvania is a genuine bargain: 3 of the 3 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Philadelphia leads at an index of 98 with rent at just $1,734/month — 8% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 98. Rent: $1,734/month. Income: $60,698/year. Home price: $229,411. Population: 1,550,542. The strongest category is Utilities at 90; the most expensive is Healthcare at 101. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,932 per year vs. the national median. That's a red flag worth investigating further.
What's equally notable: The 3 cities we track in Pennsylvania paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 98. Median rent: $1,650/month. Household income: $59,413. Pennsylvania is known for Philadelphia's corridor versus Appalachian values — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Philadelphia 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 (that's pre-tax, of course).
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 1,550,542 | 98 | $1,734 | Details |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 303,255 | 95 | $1,516 | Details |
| 3 | Allentown | 124,880 | 101 | $1,699 | Details |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is one of the cheaper options here. That alone makes it worth considering. Rent is $1,734/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 98. Income sits at $60,698. No major red flags in that number (though the trend is moving in the right direction). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh comes in at #2. And in practical terms, rent is $1,516 a month. Household income is $64,137. The cost of living index is 95. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
Why Allentown ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 101 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,699/month while the median household pulls in $53,403/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 93, though Healthcare (104) lags behind. Home prices average $304,235 — $163,135 below the national median.
Philadelphia ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for this analysis with a cost index of 98 and median income of $60,698.
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.
Philadelphia (ranked #1) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,734/mo, while Allentown (ranked #3) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,699/mo — a 3-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 Philadelphia is $1,734/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $161 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Philadelphia is $229,411, which is 3.8× 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.