City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 8.4% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $108,400 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Seattle, WA ($117,284 → $119,630), while prices change by +8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,365 in Seattle | $92,280 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
33 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Seattle, WA | Real change, Philadelphia → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,373 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $83,935 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,602 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $119,630 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $141,367 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $102,920 | $94,975 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $167,280 | $154,367 (+16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $99,370 | $91,699 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $128,260 | $118,359 (+17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.