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 | Potomac | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $2,584/mo | 51.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $1,044,900 | 79.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $218,710 | 73.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 103.0 | 5.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 103.1 | 4.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 101.8 | 3.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 100.1 | 1.7% 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 $124,701 in Potomac to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Philadelphia, PA is about 19.8% cheaper overall than Potomac, MD, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% lower in Philadelphia than in Potomac. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $99,761 in Potomac to keep the same standard of living.