City comparison
Durham, 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 5.1% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $105,100 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.5% moving from Durham, NC to Philadelphia, PA ($111,147 → $117,284), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,106 in Philadelphia | $95,142 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/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 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
54 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Durham → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,013 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $82,289 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $98,630 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $117,284 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $138,595 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $78,570 | $74,753 (+45.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $133,040 | $126,577 (−6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $85,990 | $81,813 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $101,180 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.