Northeast ranking
5 Pennsylvania cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 64
Index 99
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie | 64 | $809/mo | $43,135 | 95K | Compare → |
| 2 | Reading | 74 | $942/mo | $42,852 | 95K | Compare → |
| 3 | Pittsburgh | 91 | $1,153/mo | $60,187 | 304K | Compare → |
| 4 | Allentown | 95 | $1,202/mo | $52,449 | 125K | Compare → |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 99 | $1,250/mo | $57,537 | 1.6M | Compare → |
Across Pennsylvania, Erie is the most affordable city we track (cost index 64, with median rent around $809/mo), while Philadelphia sits at the top of the range with an index of 99—roughly 55% pricier than Erie. Use the table above to compare any Pennsylvania city directly against Erie.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.