City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 7.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $107,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.8% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Philadelphia, PA ($110,865 → $117,284), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,533 in Philadelphia | $92,995 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
47 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Cincinnati → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $68,013 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $82,289 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $98,630 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $117,284 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $138,595 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $78,570 | $73,066 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $133,040 | $123,720 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $85,990 | $79,966 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $101,180 | $94,092 (+12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.