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 | Rochester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $995/mo | 25.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $111,400 | 93.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $44,156 | 30.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 101.0 | 2.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 99.3 | 7.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 95.9 | 8.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 104.7 | 5.6% 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 Philadelphia, you'd need $79,600 in Rochester to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Rochester, NY is about 20.4% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 20% lower in Rochester than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $63,680 in Rochester to keep the same standard of living.