City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 11.6% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $111,600 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Omaha, NE to Philadelphia, PA ($107,501 → $117,284), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Omaha, NE | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,580 in Philadelphia | $89,622 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Omaha → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $68,013 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $82,289 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $98,630 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $117,284 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $138,595 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $78,570 | $70,416 (+12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $133,040 | $119,233 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $85,990 | $77,066 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $101,180 | $90,680 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.