City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 1.5% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $101,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Reno, NV ($117,284 → $106,855), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,498 in Reno | $101,525 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
74 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Reno, NV | Real change, Philadelphia → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,965 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,972 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,859 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,855 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,271 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $62,430 | $63,382 (−19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $125,710 | $127,627 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $82,370 | $83,626 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $107,520 | $109,159 (+7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.