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 | Grand Rapids | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,138/mo | $1,250/mo | 9.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $203,900 | $215,500 | 5.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,634 | $57,537 | 7.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.7 | 98.9 | 2.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 88.0 | 91.5 | 3.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.0 | 88.3 | 3.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.1 | 98.8 | 7.8% 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 Grand Rapids, you'd need $104,075 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Grand Rapids, MI is about 3.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Grand Rapids than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Grand Rapids, you'd need about $83,260 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.