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 | Elgin | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,190/mo | $1,250/mo | 4.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $242,500 | $215,500 | 12.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $85,998 | $57,537 | 49.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 96.3 | 98.9 | 2.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 91.7 | 91.5 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 96.9 | 88.3 | 9.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 98.8 | ≈ 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 Elgin, you'd need $105,040 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elgin, IL is about 4.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% lower in Elgin than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Elgin, you'd need about $84,032 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.