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 | El Centro | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $938/mo | $1,250/mo | 25.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $215,500 | 23.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $54,922 | $57,537 | 4.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 97.5 | 7.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 147.6 | 107.5 | 37.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 98.6 | 3.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 101.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in El Centro, you'd need $112,539 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
El Centro, CA is about 11.1% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 37% lower in El Centro than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in El Centro, you'd need about $90,031 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.