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 | Harrisburg | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $944/mo | $1,250/mo | 24.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $112,100 | $215,500 | 48.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $46,654 | $57,537 | 18.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.8 | 97.5 | 3.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 105.5 | 107.5 | 1.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 98.6 | 1.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 101.8 | 1.9% 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 Harrisburg, you'd need $108,574 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Harrisburg, PA is about 7.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% lower in Harrisburg than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Harrisburg, you'd need about $86,859 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.