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Cost of living · head to head

Philadelphia, PA is approximately 10% cheaper than Los Angeles, CA, using Los Angeles, CA 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 Los Angeles, CA and Philadelphia, PA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Los Angeles, CAoverall index
113.6
Philadelphia, PAoverall index
102.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Los Angeles, CA
A salary of $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,317 in Philadelphia, PA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Philadelphia, PA is cheaper than Los Angeles, CA, so you’d only need about $90,317 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Los Angeles, CA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$9,700 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 10%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA run 34% lower than in Los Angeles, CA (113.1 vs 170.4), 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

CategoryLos Angeles, CAPhiladelphia, PADifference
Overall113.6102.6-10%
Goods106.696.8-9%
Housing rents170.4113.1-34%
Utilities158.6114.4-28%
Other services104.4103.1-1%

Philadelphia, PA differs from Los Angeles, CA the most in housing rents — about 34% lower in Philadelphia, PA — while the closest is other services.

Estimated salary equivalent in Philadelphia, PA

$50,000 in Los Angeles, CA$45,158
$75,000 in Los Angeles, CA$67,738
$100,000 in Los Angeles, CA$90,317
$150,000 in Los Angeles, CA$135,475
$200,000 in Los Angeles, CA$180,634

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

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 Los Angeles, CA?

Yes — Philadelphia, PA has an overall cost-of-living index of 102.6 versus 113.6 for Los Angeles, CA, making it about 10% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA if you moved to Philadelphia, PA?

About $90,317, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Los Angeles, CA has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,317 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 Los Angeles, CA?

Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA score 113.1 versus 170.4 in Los Angeles, CA — about 34% 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 Los Angeles, CA and Philadelphia, PA?

Overall, Philadelphia, PA is about 10% cheaper than Los Angeles, CA (index 102.6 vs 113.6), with housing 34% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.