City comparison
Albany, NY vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 3.0% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $103,000 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Albany, NY to Philadelphia, PA ($109,810 → $117,284), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,001 in Philadelphia | $97,086 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
60 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Albany → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $68,013 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $82,289 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $98,630 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $117,284 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $138,595 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $78,570 | $76,281 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $133,040 | $129,164 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $85,990 | $83,485 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $101,180 | $98,232 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.