City comparison
Houston, 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 4.0% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $104,000 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 $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Houston, TX to Philadelphia, PA ($122,749 → $117,284), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (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
| Houston, TX | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,980 in Philadelphia | $96,173 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/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 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
57 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Houston → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $68,013 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $82,289 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $98,630 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $117,284 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $138,595 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $78,570 | $75,563 (+17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $133,040 | $127,948 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $85,990 | $82,699 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $101,180 | $97,308 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.