City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 10.7% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $110,700 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Philadelphia, PA ($106,955 → $117,284), while prices change by +10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,665 in Philadelphia | $90,363 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
39 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $68,013 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $82,289 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $98,630 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $117,284 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $138,595 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $78,570 | $70,998 (+17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $133,040 | $120,219 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $85,990 | $77,703 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $101,180 | $91,429 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.