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 | West Lafayette | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,056/mo | 18.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $303,300 | 28.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $30,317 | 89.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 94.9 | 2.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 107.5 | 88.0 | 22.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 98.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 99.1 | 2.7% 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 $85,275 in West Lafayette to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
West Lafayette, IN is about 14.7% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% lower in West Lafayette than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $68,220 in West Lafayette to keep the same standard of living.