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 | East Lansing | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,080/mo | $1,250/mo | 13.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $240,800 | $215,500 | 11.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $44,094 | $57,537 | 23.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 97.5 | 3.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 94.4 | 107.5 | 12.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 98.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 101.8 | 2.3% 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 East Lansing, you'd need $113,524 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
East Lansing, MI is about 11.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in East Lansing than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in East Lansing, you'd need about $90,819 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.