Chicago vs Philadelphia Cost of Living Comparison — Salary, Rent & Expenses
To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $99,000 in Philadelphia — a $1,000 saving per year.
Monthly Cost Breakdown
Estimated monthly spending for a middle-income household, adjusted by each metro's BEA price level.
Equivalent Salary: Chicago → Philadelphia
The salary you'd need in Philadelphia to maintain the same purchasing power as each income level in Chicago, using the BEA price ratio of 0.990.
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $49,500 | −$500 |
| $75,000 | $74,300 | −$700 |
| $100,000 | $99,000 | −$1,000 |
| $150,000 | $148,600 | −$1,400 |
| $200,000 | $198,100 | −$1,900 |
Chicago vs Philadelphia: What the Numbers Mean
Moving from Chicago, IL to Philadelphia, PA means your everyday costs are cheaper by roughly 1.0%. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures Chicago's overall price level at 103.6 and Philadelphia's at 102.6, where 100 represents the national average. In practical terms, a household spending $5,297 per month in Chicago would spend about $5,241 for the equivalent lifestyle in Philadelphia — a swing of $56 every month, or $672 per year.
Housing is the decisive factor. Estimated monthly housing runs $2,236 in Chicago against $2,198 in Philadelphia. Because rent and mortgage costs vary far more between metros than groceries or utilities, the housing line alone accounts for most of the 1.0% gap.
For salary negotiation or a remote-work relocation, the key number is the equivalent salary. A $100,000 income in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $99,000 in Philadelphia. Looked at the other way, $100,000 in Philadelphia is worth about $101,000 in Chicago terms. Use the Cost of Living Calculator to plug in your own expenses.
Cost of living compares prices across places at one point in time. The related question — how prices in one place have changed over time — is answered by inflation. To see what an income or price from an earlier decade is worth in today's money, see what old money is worth today, which converts any amount from 1913 onward using Consumer Price Index data.
Don't forget state taxes
Price levels don't include income tax, which can significantly swing your real take-home pay — especially between IL and PA.
Related Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Philadelphia more expensive than Chicago?
Philadelphia is 1.0% cheaper than Chicago overall. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024), Chicago has a price level of 103.6 versus 102.6 for Philadelphia, where 100 equals the national average.
What salary do I need in Philadelphia to match $100,000 in Chicago?
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary in Chicago, you would need about $99,000 in Philadelphia — a difference of $1,000 per year.
Which costs more, housing in Chicago or Philadelphia?
Estimated monthly housing runs about $2,236 in Chicago versus $2,198 in Philadelphia. Housing is the single biggest driver of the cost-of-living gap between the two metros.
Sources & methodology
Price levels use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for metropolitan areas (2024, released February 2026). Chicago maps to the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN MSA; Philadelphia maps to the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Category spending baselines come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Category-level figures are modeled estimates and are illustrative; actual costs vary by household. This is a planning tool, not financial advice.