Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh Cost of Living
Pittsburgh is approximately 6.9% cheaper than Philadelphia. See salary equivalence, taxes, and side-by-side breakdown.
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
| Salary in Philadelphia | Equivalent in Pittsburgh | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,600 | -$3,400 (-6.8%) |
| $75,000 | $69,900 | -$5,100 (-6.8%) |
| $100,000 | $93,100 | -$6,900 (-6.9%) |
| $150,000 | $139,700 | -$10,300 (-6.9%) |
| $200,000 | $186,300 | -$13,700 (-6.9%) |
Philadelphia is roughly 7% more expensive overall, and housing is doing almost all of the work: a one-bedroom runs $1,700 in Philadelphia against $1,150 in Pittsburgh.
Housing does most of the damage
Almost the entire gap between two cities is shelter. Tradable goods cost roughly the same everywhere; land does not. A one-bedroom runs about $1,700 a month in Philadelphia and $1,150 in Pittsburgh — $550 a month apart, or $6,600 a year.
Taxes the index leaves out
There is a city-level tax to account for as well: Philadelphia charges about 3.75% local income tax, against 3.00% in Pittsburgh. On $100,000 that is roughly $3,750 a year, deducted before you ever see it and easy to miss when comparing two offers.
Getting around
Philadelphia is workable without a car in many neighborhoods; Pittsburgh is served by limited transit.
Work, weather, and what else is different
Philadelphia is a major metro of about 6.3M and roughly flat; Pittsburgh is a large metro of about 2.3M and roughly flat.
Both metros have real employment in finance and higher education, which matters if you want to move without changing careers — your experience is legible to employers in both. Philadelphia also leans on healthcare ('eds and meds') and biotech/pharma, with employers like University of Pennsylvania/Penn Medicine and Comcast (HQ). Pittsburgh leans on healthcare and robotics/tech, with UPMC and University of Pittsburgh.
The part spreadsheets leave out. Philadelphia: Humid continental climate: January lows near 28°F, July highs near 87°F, humid. Pittsburgh: Humid continental climate: January lows near 23°F, July highs near 82°F.
Philadelphia's resident wage tax (~3.75%) is among the highest local income taxes of any major US city, but citywide median home prices remain relatively low for a metro this size. Combined city and school-district earned income tax runs about 3% for residents; UPMC alone is the region's largest private employer, dwarfing the old steel-era manufacturing base it replaced.
Cost indexes derive from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; rent, home prices and local tax rates are compiled from market and municipal sources. How these are compiled and updated.
Related tools
Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — hourly and annual conversion. Mortgage calculator — what a home in either metro actually costs monthly. Guide: the true cost of relocating.