Compare My CityHouston, TX is approximately 4% cheaper than Philadelphia, PA, using Philadelphia, PA 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 Philadelphia, PA and Houston, TX metropolitan areas, not city limits.
⇄ Swap / reverse this comparisonWhere the difference lies
The headline gap is 4%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Houston, TX run 8% lower than in Philadelphia, PA (104.5 vs 113.1), 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
| Category | Philadelphia, PA | Houston, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102.6 | 98.6 | -4% |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.6 | +4% |
| Housing rents | 113.1 | 104.5 | -8% |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 95.3 | -17% |
| Other services | 103.1 | 95.6 | -7% |
Houston, TX differs from Philadelphia, PA the most in utilities — about 17% lower in Houston, TX — while the closest is goods.
Estimated salary equivalent in Houston, TX
| $50,000 in Philadelphia, PA | $48,051 |
| $75,000 in Philadelphia, PA | $72,076 |
| $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA | $96,101 |
| $150,000 in Philadelphia, PA | $144,152 |
| $200,000 in Philadelphia, PA | $192,203 |
Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Houston, TX, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Philadelphia, PA.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.