Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Palmer, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,823 a month against $2,944 in Palmer, AK, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 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
141

Cost of Living Index in Palmer, AK
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Palmer, AK Living Index

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Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

Palmer, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,944

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Philadelphia, PA and in Palmer, AK

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 Palmer, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,823 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $2,944 in Palmer, AK, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $2,823
Palmer, AK $2,944

A couple spends around $4,218 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $4,140 in Palmer, AK, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $4,218
Palmer, AK $4,140

A family of three spends $5,612 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $5,337 in Palmer, AK, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $5,612
Palmer, AK $5,337

Philadelphia, PA is about 4% cheaper than Palmer, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Philadelphia, PA and Palmer, AK sit above the global median – Philadelphia, PA by 107%, Palmer, AK by 116%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 $23.40

$23.74 $23.74

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$74.1 $74.1

14.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$13.33 $13.33

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.18 $5.18

2.70%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.14 $3.14

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.01 $2.01

10.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.18 $7.18

-18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.62 $8.62

-5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.24 $1.24

16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.49 $4.49

-3.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$5.66 $5.66

24.38%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$4.26 $4.26

15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$13.72 $13.72

-13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$12.38 $12.38

0.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 $17.21

$21.49 $21.49

-19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$7.97 $7.97

-29.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.98 $1.98

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.63 $5.63

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$6.19 $6.19

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.00 $3.00

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.17 $3.17

0.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.63 $2.63

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.37 $2.37

6.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$13.24 $13.24

-9.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$18.21 $18.21

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.70 $1.70

37.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.34 $3.34

30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.02 $1.02

192.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 $117

$29.44 $29.44

296.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.67 $2.67

5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.84 $1.84

-14.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.53 $23.53

$40.64 $40.64

-42.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.03 $1.03

6.80%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$23.2K $23.2K

36.85%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

4.48%

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

$224 $224

$412 $412

-45.65%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$59.3 $59.3

9.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$138 $138

-51.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$89.0 $89.0

-20.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$88.9 $88.9

$10.02 $10.02

786.93%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$10.14 $10.14

49.21%

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

$2,117 $2,117

$1,268 $1,268

66.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.8K $41.8K

$10.3K $10.3K

307.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$48.84 $48.84

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 $43.91

$45.42 $45.42

-3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$110 $110

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$103 $103

37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 $2,069

$1,325 $1,325

56.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,200 $1,200

5.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,571 $4,571

$2,203 $2,203

107.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 $2,103

$1,832 $1,832

14.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,141 $4,141

$2,153 $2,153

92.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 $1,890

$2,043 $2,043

-7.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 $4,139

$4,807 $4,807

-13.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.49

21.31%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Palmer, AK: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 44.9%

Palmer, AK

$1.2K 40.8% 5.4% $68

Groceries & Markets

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9%

Palmer, AK

$476 16.2% 5.8% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Palmer, AK

$609 20.7% 71.1% $253

Eating Out

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Palmer, AK

$366 12.4% 2.9% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Philadelphia, PA

$152 5.4%

Palmer, AK

$138 4.7% 9.1% $14

Getting Around

Philadelphia, PA

$139 4.9%

Palmer, AK

$45 1.5% 67.5% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Philadelphia, PA

$101 3.6%

Palmer, AK

$109 3.7% 7.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,325 in Palmer, AK. 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 16% higher in Palmer, AK. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Philadelphia, PA versus $74 in Palmer, AK. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Philadelphia, PA vs $476 in Palmer, AK – so Philadelphia, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 Palmer, AK

🕒 Local time

05:12 5:12 AM

01:12 1:12 AM

4 h behind Philadelphia, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,573,916

6,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Philadelphia, PA Palmer, AK 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Philadelphia, PA
Palmer, AK

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 Palmer, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Palmer, AK is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $4,416 in Palmer, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmer, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,325 there versus $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA and $2,944 in Palmer, AK. That makes Philadelphia, PA about 4% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Palmer, AK. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA and $2,944 in Palmer, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Philadelphia, PA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA to $2,944 in Palmer, AK. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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