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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Pennsylvania beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Philadelphia stands out at 101 on the index, with rent of $1,734/month and household income of $60,698. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. An outlier in the best sense.
#1 Ranked: Philadelphia — cost index 101, rent $1,734/mo, income $60,698
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 | Philadelphia | 101 | $1,734 | Details |
| 2 | Allentown | 99 | $1,699 | Details |
| 3 | Pittsburgh | 88 | $1,516 | Details |
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Pennsylvania beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Philadelphia stands out at 101 on the index, with rent of $1,734/month and household income of $60,698. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. An outlier in the best sense.
The #1 spot goes to Philadelphia, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,734/month — saving renters $1,932 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 101. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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.
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And roughly speaking, cost index: 101. Rent: $1,734/month. 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. This is quietly one of the better values out there.
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
Why Allentown ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 99 on the cost index, residents save roughly 12% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,699/month while the median household pulls in $53,403/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 99, though Healthcare (100) lags behind. Home prices average $304,235 — $163,135 below the national median.
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
Here's Pittsburgh by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 88. Rent: $1,516/month. Income: $64,137/year. Home price: $230,723. Population: 303,255. The strongest category is Housing at 88; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,548 per year vs. the national median. For families with student loans, that cost gap is a second income.
Philadelphia ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for this analysis with a cost index of 101 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 101 and rent of $1,734/mo, while Pittsburgh (ranked #3) has a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,516/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 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.