← Compare My City
Cost of living · head to head

Philadelphia, PA is approximately 1% cheaper than Phoenix, AZ, using Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix, AZ and Philadelphia, PA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

⇄ Swap / reverse this comparison
Phoenix, AZoverall index
103.3
Philadelphia, PAoverall index
102.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Phoenix, AZ
A salary of $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ has approximately the same purchasing power as $99,322 in Philadelphia, PA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Phoenix, AZ and Philadelphia, PA cost about the same overall, so $100,000 would go roughly as far in either place — your day-to-day spending shouldn’t feel noticeably different.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

The headline gap is 1%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA run 7% lower than in Phoenix, AZ (113.1 vs 121.2), 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.

CategoryPhoenix, AZPhiladelphia, PADifference
Overall103.3102.6-1%
Goods95.096.8+2%
Housing rents121.2113.1-7%
Utilities93.3114.4+23%
Other services104.0103.1-1%

Philadelphia, PA differs from Phoenix, AZ the most in utilities — about 23% higher in Philadelphia, PA — while the closest is other services.

$50,000 in Phoenix, AZ$49,661
$75,000 in Phoenix, AZ$74,492
$100,000 in Phoenix, AZ$99,322
$150,000 in Phoenix, AZ$148,984
$200,000 in Phoenix, AZ$198,645

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

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

Is Philadelphia, PA cheaper than Phoenix, AZ?

Yes — Philadelphia, PA has an overall cost-of-living index of 102.6 versus 103.3 for Phoenix, AZ, making it about 1% cheaper.

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

About $99,322, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Phoenix, AZ has approximately the same purchasing power as $99,322 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 Phoenix, AZ?

Housing rents in Philadelphia, PA score 113.1 versus 121.2 in Phoenix, AZ — about 7% 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 Phoenix, AZ and Philadelphia, PA?

Overall, Philadelphia, PA is about 1% cheaper than Phoenix, AZ (index 102.6 vs 103.3), with housing 7% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.