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 | Schenectady | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,038/mo | 20.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $140,000 | 53.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $54,650 | 5.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 100.1 | 2.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 123.6 | 13.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 97.2 | 1.5% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 99.8 | 2.0% 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 $96,273 in Schenectady to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Schenectady, NY is about 3.7% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Schenectady than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $77,018 in Schenectady to keep the same standard of living.