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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 101 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.
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 101 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.
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.
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: 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 |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
What does daily life actually cost in Philadelphia? Start with the 34% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 100) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 101) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $60,698 and homes at $229,411 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons. Not flashy. Just effective.
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
Allentown comes in at #2. Rent is $1,699 a month. Household income is $53,403. The cost of living index is 99. That tracks.
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
Dive into Pittsburgh's numbers: cost index 88 (23 points below national average), rent $1,516/month, income $64,137, and a home price of $230,723. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 88, while Healthcare runs 98. With 303,255 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
Cities are ranked by overall cost of living index in descending order. High-cost cities are typically driven by housing prices — a city with an index of 150 has overall costs roughly 50% above the national median, with housing often 2-3× that premium. 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.
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.