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 | Waterloo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $865/mo | 44.5% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $142,000 | 51.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $54,104 | 6.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 94.5 | 3.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 86.1 | 24.9% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 94.1 | 4.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 94.8 | 7.4% 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 $78,062 in Waterloo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waterloo, IA is about 21.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 41% lower in Waterloo than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $62,450 in Waterloo to keep the same standard of living.