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 | Council Bluffs | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $964/mo | $1,250/mo | 22.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $153,400 | $215,500 | 28.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,181 | $57,537 | 6.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.7 | 97.5 | 2.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 81.0 | 107.5 | 24.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 98.6 | 4.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 101.8 | 6.8% 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 Council Bluffs, you'd need $117,280 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Council Bluffs, IA is about 14.7% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in Council Bluffs than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Council Bluffs, you'd need about $93,824 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.