City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 6.3% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $106,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Asheville, NC to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,267 in Philadelphia | $94,103 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
50 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Asheville → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $78,570 | $73,936 (+47.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $133,040 | $125,194 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $85,990 | $80,919 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $101,180 | $95,213 (+16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.