City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alexandria | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $928/mo | $1,250/mo | 25.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $179,900 | $215,500 | 16.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $49,049 | $57,537 | 14.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.2 | 97.5 | 2.3% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 78.2 | 107.5 | 27.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 98.6 | 1.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.4 | 101.8 | 6.2% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alexandria, you'd need $131,393 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Alexandria, LA is about 23.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% lower in Alexandria than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $105,115 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.