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 | $1,161/mo | $1,250/mo | 7.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $212,500 | $215,500 | 1.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $62,994 | $57,537 | 9.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 102.0 | 98.9 | 3.2% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 88.4 | 91.5 | 3.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.6 | 88.3 | 3.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.9 | 98.8 | 7.0% 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 $102,901 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, OH is about 2.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Columbus than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $82,321 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.