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 | Topeka | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $926/mo | 35.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $124,700 | 72.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $54,052 | 6.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 96.3 | 2.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 91.7 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 96.9 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 99.1 | ≈ 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 $74,082 in Topeka to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Topeka, KS is about 25.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% lower in Topeka than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $59,266 in Topeka to keep the same standard of living.