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 | Philadelphia | Portsmouth | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,225/mo | 2.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $213,300 | 1.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $57,154 | 0.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 97.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 91.2 | 17.9% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 99.2 | 0.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 97.5 | 4.4% higher 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 Philadelphia, you'd need $94,212 in Portsmouth to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Portsmouth, VA is about 5.8% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Portsmouth than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $75,370 in Portsmouth to keep the same standard of living.