City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 7.1% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $107,100 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Syracuse, NY ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,358 in Syracuse | $107,115 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
91 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Philadelphia → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $78,560 | $84,150 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $129,100 | $138,285 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $82,230 | $88,081 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $86,960 | $93,147 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.