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 | San Mateo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $2,971/mo | 57.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $1,508,900 | 85.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $149,152 | 61.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 104.1 | 5.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 125.1 | 26.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 104.6 | 15.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 104.1 | 5.1% 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 $237,685 in San Mateo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Philadelphia, PA is about 57.9% cheaper overall than San Mateo, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 58% lower in Philadelphia than in San Mateo. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $190,148 in San Mateo to keep the same standard of living.