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 | Ames | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,011/mo | $1,250/mo | 19.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $215,500 | 14.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,428 | $57,537 | 0.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 97.5 | 3.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 85.6 | 107.5 | 20.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 98.6 | 4.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 101.8 | 6.9% 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 Ames, you'd need $123,223 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Ames, IA is about 18.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 34% lower in Ames than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Ames, you'd need about $98,578 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.