Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,823 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

136

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Philadelphia, PA and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,823 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $2,823
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,218 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $4,218
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,612 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $5,612
New York, NY $9,509

Philadelphia, PA is about 43% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Philadelphia, PA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Philadelphia, PA by 107%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 $23.40

$28.55 $28.55

-18.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$118 $118

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$15.04 $15.04

-15.36%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$6.53 $6.53

-18.53%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.96 $3.96

-24.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.01 $3.01

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$8.16 $8.16

-28.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$9.84 $9.84

-17.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.37 $1.37

5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.97 $4.97

-12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.81 $7.81

-9.86%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$5.97 $5.97

-17.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$18.91 $18.91

-36.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$18.04 $18.04

-30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 $17.21

$19.05 $19.05

-9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.76 $6.76

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.27 $2.27

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$6.83 $6.83

-18.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$7.09 $7.09

-21.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.22 $4.22

-31.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.65 $4.65

-31.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.87 $2.87

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.60 $2.60

-2.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$18.77 $18.77

-35.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$20.13 $20.13

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.45 $3.45

-32.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.02 $4.02

8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.91 $2.91

2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 $117

$139 $139

-15.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.08 $3.08

-8.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.12 $2.12

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.53 $23.53

$41.96 $41.96

-43.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 $1.17

-5.98%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$34.5K $34.5K

-7.76%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.93%

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

$224 $224

$219 $219

1.92%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$74.2 $74.2

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$70.2 $70.2

-3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$112 $112

-36.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$88.9 $88.9

$74.9 $74.9

18.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$22.14 $22.14

-31.66%

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

$2,117 $2,117

$3,558 $3,558

-40.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.8K $41.8K

$62.2K $62.2K

-32.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$75.6 $75.6

-33.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 $43.91

$51.2 $51.2

-14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$123 $123

-16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$140 $140

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 $2,069

$4,499 $4,499

-54.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$3,078 $3,078

-58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,571 $4,571

$9,447 $9,447

-51.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 $2,103

$5,190 $5,190

-59.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,141 $4,141

$18.1K $18.1K

-77.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 $1,890

$6,693 $6,693

-71.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 $4,139

$5,220 $5,220

-20.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.86

-2.92%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 44.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 143% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 25.2% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 2.2% $7.8

Eating Out

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 23.8% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Philadelphia, PA

$152 5.4%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 15.1% $23

Getting Around

Philadelphia, PA

$139 4.9%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 17.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Philadelphia, PA

$101 3.6%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 54.2% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA versus $4,499 in New York, NY. 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 26% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Philadelphia, PA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $563 – making Philadelphia, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

00:49 12:49 AM

Same time as Philadelphia, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,573,916

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Philadelphia, PA New York, NY 110 km

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Philadelphia, PA
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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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 75% more than Philadelphia, PA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $7,412 in New York, NY. 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 $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $2,117 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA and $4,941 in New York, NY. 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 $4,941 in New York, NY. 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, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.