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 | Towson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,695/mo | 26.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $408,100 | 47.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $98,425 | 41.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 101.3 | 3.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 105.6 | 1.8% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 101.2 | 2.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 99.5 | 2.3% 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 $106,491 in Towson to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Philadelphia, PA is about 6.1% cheaper overall than Towson, MD, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Philadelphia than in Towson. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $85,193 in Towson to keep the same standard of living.