City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Eugene, OR (101.6) and Philadelphia, PA (102.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Eugene, OR goes as far as $101,000 in Philadelphia, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Eugene, OR to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- 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
| Eugene, OR | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,971 in Philadelphia | $99,039 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
66 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR 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 Eugene, OR to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Eugene → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $78,570 | $77,815 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $133,040 | $131,761 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $85,990 | $85,163 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $101,180 | $100,207 (−11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.