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 | Allentown | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $1,250/mo | 3.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $215,500 | 21.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $57,537 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.0 | 98.9 | 2.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 99.3 | 91.5 | 8.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 95.9 | 88.3 | 8.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.7 | 98.8 | 5.9% higher 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 Allentown, you'd need $103,998 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Allentown, PA is about 3.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% lower in Allentown than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $83,199 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.