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 | Columbus | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,081/mo | $1,250/mo | 13.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $211,700 | $215,500 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $75,114 | $57,537 | 30.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.9 | 97.5 | 2.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.1 | 107.5 | 18.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.5 | 98.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 101.8 | 2.6% 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 Columbus, you'd need $117,307 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, IN is about 14.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% lower in Columbus than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $93,845 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.