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 | Detroit | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $989/mo | $1,250/mo | 20.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $66,700 | $215,500 | 69.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $37,761 | $57,537 | 34.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.9 | 98.9 | 2.0% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 70.6 | 91.5 | 22.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.5 | 88.3 | 17.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 111.1 | 98.8 | 12.5% 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 Detroit, you'd need $126,385 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Detroit, MI is about 20.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 21% lower in Detroit than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Detroit, you'd need about $101,108 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.