Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Fremont, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,823 a month against $3,943 in Fremont, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fremont, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

136

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index
191

Cost of Living Index in Fremont, CA
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Fremont, CA Living Index

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Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,943

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Philadelphia, PA and in Fremont, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Philadelphia, PA and in Fremont, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,823 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $3,943 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $2,823
Fremont, CA $3,943

A couple spends around $4,218 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $5,575 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $4,218
Fremont, CA $5,575

A family of three spends $5,612 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $7,207 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $5,612
Fremont, CA $7,207

Philadelphia, PA is about 28% cheaper than Fremont, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Philadelphia, PA and Fremont, CA sit above the global median – Philadelphia, PA by 107%, Fremont, CA by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 $23.40

$19.75 $19.75

18.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$76.3 $76.3

11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$12.10 $12.10

5.21%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.59 $5.59

-4.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.64 $2.64

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.35 $2.35

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$8.98 $8.98

-35.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$10.08 $10.08

-19.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.55 $1.55

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$4.19 $4.19

68.02%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$6.39 $6.39

-22.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$19.34 $19.34

-38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$14.28 $14.28

-12.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 $17.21

$17.96 $17.96

-4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.19 $5.19

7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 $1.96

-18.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.35 $5.35

3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$5.58 $5.58

-0.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.48 $3.48

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.03 $3.03

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.42 $2.42

6.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.45 $2.45

3.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$11.68 $11.68

3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$15.34 $15.34

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.07 $2.07

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.36 $3.36

30.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.95 $2.95

1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 $117

$91.7 $91.7

27.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.59 $3.59

-21.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.07 $3.07

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.53 $23.53

$29.75 $29.75

-20.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.58 $1.58

-30.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.8K $31.8K

$31.0K $31.0K

2.57%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.0K $27.0K

-3.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$224 $224

$368 $368

-39.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$42.29 $42.29

53.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$83.9 $83.9

-19.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$36.36 $36.36

95.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$88.9 $88.9

$8.28 $8.28

973.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$16.54 $16.54

-8.52%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,117 $2,117

$1,838 $1,838

15.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.8K $41.8K

$40.6K $40.6K

2.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$59.4 $59.4

-15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 $43.91

$50.5 $50.5

-13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$91.5 $91.5

12.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$119 $119

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 $2,069

$3,004 $3,004

-31.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$2,291 $2,291

-44.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,571 $4,571

$4,727 $4,727

-3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 $2,103

$3,780 $3,780

-44.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,141 $4,141

$10.5K $10.5K

-60.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 $1,890

$7,279 $7,279

-74.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 $4,139

$7,829 $7,829

-47.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.51

2.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fremont, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 44.9%

Fremont, CA

$2.3K 58.1% 80.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9%

Fremont, CA

$475 12% 5.6% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Fremont, CA

$494 12.5% 38.9% $138

Eating Out

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Fremont, CA

$346 8.8% 2.6% $9.2

Clothing & Footwear

Philadelphia, PA

$152 5.4%

Fremont, CA

$144 3.7% 5.3% $8

Getting Around

Philadelphia, PA

$139 4.9%

Fremont, CA

$122 3.1% 12.3% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Philadelphia, PA

$101 3.6%

Fremont, CA

$69 1.8% 31.5% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,004 in Fremont, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 89% higher in Fremont, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Philadelphia, PA versus $76 in Fremont, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Philadelphia, PA vs $475 in Fremont, CA – so Philadelphia, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 Fremont, CA

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

06:06 6:06 AM

3 h behind Philadelphia, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,573,916

241,110

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Philadelphia, PA Fremont, CA 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Philadelphia, PA
Fremont, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Philadelphia, PA vs Fremont, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fremont, CA is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $5,914 in Fremont, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Philadelphia, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,069 there versus $3,004 in Fremont, CA.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Fremont, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,117 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $1,838 in Fremont, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA and $3,943 in Fremont, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Philadelphia, PA costs $2,823 versus $3,943 in Fremont, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Philadelphia, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fremont, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.