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Washington vs Philadelphia: cost of living, pay and jobs compared
Philadelphia is the cheaper place to live: overall prices run 6% lower than in Washington, and housing runs 34% lower. Washington pays more in dollars (a typical official wage of $71,000 against $54,500), and after local prices are counted the typical paycheck goes further in Washington ($65,500 against $53,000 in average-US dollars).
The short answer
- Prices: Washington runs 6% higher than Philadelphia overall, and housing runs 34% higher.
- To keep the buying power of $100,000 in Philadelphia, you need about $106,000 in Washington. To keep $100,000 from Washington, you need about $94,000 in Philadelphia.
- Official median wage for all jobs: $71,000 in Washington, $54,500 in Philadelphia.
- Median pay listed in open postings: $156,500 in Washington, $111,500 in Philadelphia.
- Open postings in our data: 3,856 in Washington from 540 employers, 2,652 in Philadelphia from 393 employers.
- Unemployment: 3.8% in Washington, 4.4% in Philadelphia (BLS).
Washington and Philadelphia side by side
| Measure | Washington | Philadelphia | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (US = 100) | 108.9 | 102.6 | Philadelphia |
| Housing price level | 151.1 | 113.1 | Philadelphia |
| Official median wage, all jobs | $71,000 | $54,500 | Washington |
| Paycheck power (wage adjusted for prices) | $65,500 | $53,000 | Washington |
| Median pay in open postings | $156,500 | $111,500 | Washington |
| Postings that list pay | 61.2% | 28.4% | Washington |
| Open postings in our data | 3,856 | 2,652 | – |
| Employers hiring in our data | 540 | 393 | – |
| Unemployment rate (BLS) | 3.8% | 4.4% | Washington |
| Postings open more than 60 days | 37.7% | 19.8% | Philadelphia |
| Median days a posting has been open | 37 | 28 | Philadelphia |
| Entry-level share of postings | 8.5% | 11.5% | – |
| Remote share of postings | 7.3% | 3.8% | – |
| Indeed postings index vs Feb 2020 | -17.2% | -11.8% | Philadelphia |
"Edge" shows which area looks better on that measure (lower prices, higher pay, lower unemployment, fewer stale postings); counts and shares have no edge. Within 2% counts as about the same.
Cost of living
Washington prices sit 108.9 against a US average of 100 and Philadelphia at 102.6. The biggest difference is housing: 151.1 in Washington against 113.1 in Philadelphia. Utilities are 7% lower in Washington. The index covers goods and services including rent and home costs, so it measures what a typical household spends, not what your own budget looks like.
| Price level (US = 100) | Washington | Philadelphia | Washington vs Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 108.9 | 102.6 | 6% higher |
| Housing | 151.1 | 113.1 | 34% higher |
| Goods | 104.8 | 96.8 | 8% higher |
| Utilities | 106.7 | 114.4 | 7% lower |
| Other services | 102.3 | 103.1 | 1% lower |
What a salary is worth in each place
Each row keeps your purchasing power the same. The left half moves a salary from Philadelphia to Washington; the right half moves it the other way. "If only housing moved" uses the housing price level alone, for someone whose biggest cost is rent or a mortgage.
| Salary in Philadelphia | Matching salary in Washington | If only housing moved | Salary in Washington | Matching salary in Philadelphia | If only housing moved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $53,000 | $67,000 | $50,000 | $47,000 | $37,500 |
| $75,000 | $79,500 | $100,000 | $75,000 | $70,500 | $56,000 |
| $100,000 | $106,000 | $133,500 | $100,000 | $94,000 | $75,000 |
| $125,000 | $132,500 | $167,000 | $125,000 | $117,500 | $93,500 |
| $150,000 | $159,500 | $200,500 | $150,000 | $141,500 | $112,500 |
| $200,000 | $212,500 | $267,000 | $200,000 | $188,500 | $149,500 |
As hourly pay (2,080 hours a year): $100,000 a year is about $48.10 an hour; the matching figure is about $51.04 an hour in Washington for someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia.
Pay for the same job
Across the 58 occupations that the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures in both areas, the median wage is higher in Washington for 45 and higher in Philadelphia for 13. After local prices are counted, Washington comes out ahead in 32 and Philadelphia in 26. The widest gap among the 15 largest occupations is home health and personal care aides: $38,500 in Washington against $29,800 in Philadelphia.
| Occupation (15 largest) | Washington median | Philadelphia median | Washington adjusted for prices | Philadelphia adjusted for prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,500 | $29,800 | $35,400 | $29,100 |
| General and Operations Managers | $156,500 | $121,600 | $143,700 | $118,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,600 | $34,800 | $33,600 | $33,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,600 | $32,200 | $31,800 | $31,400 |
| Registered Nurses | $102,700 | $101,200 | $94,300 | $98,700 |
| Cashiers | $35,500 | $33,100 | $32,600 | $32,200 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,800 | $36,900 | $34,800 | $36,000 |
| Software Developers | $154,900 | $133,000 | $142,300 | $129,700 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $46,000 | $36,600 | $42,300 | $35,700 |
| Office Clerks, General | $51,900 | $47,100 | $47,600 | $45,900 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,900 | $36,800 | $34,800 | $35,900 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $42,600 | $43,500 | $39,100 | $42,400 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,200 | $47,100 | $42,400 | $45,900 |
| Management Analysts | $126,800 | $100,900 | $116,500 | $98,400 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,100 | $86,000 | $93,800 | $83,800 |
Median annual wage for everyone in the occupation, all employers, May 2025 (BLS). "Adjusted" divides the wage by the area's price level (BEA, US = 100), so dollars are comparable.
Pay employers are offering right now
The wages above are what people earn in jobs they already hold. Open postings show what employers are offering today. In the job families where both areas have at least 15 postings that list pay, the median listed salary is higher in Washington for 8 of 8 and higher in Philadelphia for 0. Posted pay tends to run above the all-worker median because it leans toward hiring for experienced roles at larger employers.
| Job family | Washington median listed pay | Postings | Philadelphia median listed pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | $166,500 | 155 | $135,000 | 70 |
| Software developers | $193,000 | 163 | $127,000 | 17 |
| Security and IT | $175,000 | 97 | $85,000 | 17 |
| Operations and logistics | $132,000 | 77 | $89,000 | 17 |
| Legal and compliance | $197,500 | 66 | $134,500 | 15 |
| Marketing | $165,000 | 64 | $115,000 | 16 |
| Finance and accounting | $141,000 | 51 | $130,000 | 15 |
| Nursing and clinical care | $155,000 | 36 | $132,500 | 21 |
Only postings that list a salary are counted. Median of the middle of each listed range. Job families need at least 15 such postings in both areas to appear.
Who is hiring
Washington's postings lean toward software & technology (28.2%), while Philadelphia's lean toward healthcare & life sciences (45.1%). The mix matters because pay and hiring conditions differ a lot by industry.
- Largest posters in Washington: Accenturefederalservices (266), Anduril Industries (184), Leidos (162), AstraZeneca (121), Veterinaryemergencygroupst (76).
- Largest posters in Philadelphia: Jefferson Health (570), ChristianaCare (268), Vanguard (163), City of Philadelphia (60), CityofPhiladelphia (60).
Counts are open postings on each employer's own career page in our data; one big employer can shape a local market.
The job market
- Postings have been open a median of 37 days in Washington and 28 in Philadelphia; 37.7% and 19.8% have been open more than 60 days.
- Entry-level roles are 8.5% of postings in Washington and 11.5% in Philadelphia; senior and above are 45.1% and 31.4%.
- Fully remote roles are 7.3% of postings in Washington and 3.8% in Philadelphia.
- Indeed's postings index sits 17.2% below its February 2020 level in Washington and 11.8% below in Philadelphia.
- 61.2% of postings in Washington list pay, against 28.4% in Philadelphia.
Which is better for you?
- If you can keep your current salary and move, the place with the lower price level (Philadelphia) stretches it further: $100,000 in Washington has the buying power of about $94,000 in Philadelphia.
- If you will be paid the local going rate, Washington comes out ahead after prices on the typical wage ($65,500 against $53,000).
- Software developers: median listed pay is $193,000 in Washington and $127,000 in Philadelphia, which is $177,500 and $124,000 in average-US dollars.
- If housing is your biggest cost, the gap there (151.1 vs 113.1) matters more than the overall index.
No place is better for everyone. Taxes, commute, schools, climate and your own spending are not in these numbers.
Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Washington or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is cheaper. Overall prices run 6% lower than in Washington, and housing runs 34% lower (BEA regional price parities, 2024, where the US average is 100).
How much do I need to earn in Washington to match $100,000 in Philadelphia?
About $106,000 a year, using the ratio of overall price levels (108.9 in Washington, 102.6 in Philadelphia). Prices only; taxes are not included.
Which city pays more, Washington or Philadelphia?
Washington has the higher typical wage across all jobs: $71,000 against $54,500 (BLS, May 2025). After local prices, Washington has the higher paycheck power: $65,500 against $53,000 in average-US dollars.
Which has more job openings?
In the postings we read from employers' own career pages, Washington has more: 3,856 against 2,652. This is a sample of employer postings, not a census of every job.
Where do these numbers come from?
Prices come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, wages and unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and postings from employers' own career pages, collected October 2026. Every figure on this page is in a table or chart above.
More on these places
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: all the data
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: all the data
- Compare them in the interactive tool
- Cost-of-living ranking · Paycheck power ranking
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Updated October 2026. Prices only: taxes and personal spending are not included. Price levels: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, 2024. Wages and unemployment: Bureau of Labor Statistics (wages May 2025). Postings: employers' own career pages, October 2026. Methodology