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Cost of living · head to head

Philadelphia, PA is approximately 5% cheaper than Boston, MA, using Boston, MA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Boston, MAoverall index
108.3
Philadelphia, PAoverall index
102.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Boston, MA
A salary of $100,000 in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $94,737 in Philadelphia, PA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Philadelphia, PA is cheaper than Boston, MA, so you’d only need about $94,737 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Boston, MA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$5,300 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 5%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA run 24% lower than in Boston, MA (113.1 vs 148.4), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryBoston, MAPhiladelphia, PADifference
Overall108.3102.6-5%
Goods99.796.8-3%
Housing rents148.4113.1-24%
Utilities148.8114.4-23%
Other services103.6103.1-0%

Philadelphia, PA differs from Boston, MA the most in housing rents — about 24% lower in Philadelphia, PA — while the closest is other services.

Estimated salary equivalent in Philadelphia, PA

$50,000 in Boston, MA$47,368
$75,000 in Boston, MA$71,053
$100,000 in Boston, MA$94,737
$150,000 in Boston, MA$142,105
$200,000 in Boston, MA$189,474

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Philadelphia, PA, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Boston, MA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Philadelphia, PA cheaper than Boston, MA?

Yes — Philadelphia, PA has an overall cost-of-living index of 102.6 versus 108.3 for Boston, MA, making it about 5% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Boston, MA if you moved to Philadelphia, PA?

About $94,737, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $94,737 in Philadelphia, PA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Philadelphia, PA than in Boston, MA?

Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA score 113.1 versus 148.4 in Boston, MA — about 24% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA?

Overall, Philadelphia, PA is about 5% cheaper than Boston, MA (index 102.6 vs 108.3), with housing 24% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.