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 | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,224/mo | 2.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $349,500 | 38.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $67,540 | 14.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 102.2 | 3.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 122.0 | 25.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 100.6 | 12.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
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 $105,325 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Philadelphia, PA is about 5.1% cheaper overall than Salem, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 2% lower in Salem than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $84,260 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.