City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Port St. Lucie, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.3% higher than in Port St. Lucie, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL would need about $102,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA and $1,467 in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Port St. Lucie, FL ($117,284 → $113,356), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Port St. Lucie, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,732 in Port St. Lucie | $102,321 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,467/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $46,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Port St. Lucie, FL MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Port St. Lucie, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 113.6 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 87.0 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
76 Strong offer
Port St. Lucie, FL → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Port St. Lucie, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Port St. Lucie, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Port St. Lucie, FL | Real change, Philadelphia → Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $65,735 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $79,533 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $95,326 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $113,356 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $133,953 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Port St. Lucie, FL | Port St. Lucie pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $53,610 | $54,854 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $128,510 | $131,492 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $79,430 | $81,273 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $82,090 | $83,995 (−17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.