City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 2.2% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $102,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,207 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Philadelphia, PA ($116,038 → $117,284), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,836 in Philadelphia | $102,212 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,207/yr.
76 Strong offer
Philadelphia, PA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,207/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Minneapolis → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $68,013 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $82,289 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $98,630 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $117,284 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $138,595 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $78,570 | $80,308 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $133,040 | $135,982 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $85,990 | $87,892 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $101,180 | $103,418 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.