City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.5% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $102,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,497 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Atlanta, GA to Philadelphia, PA ($112,556 → $117,284), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,495 in Philadelphia | $97,566 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,497/yr.
61 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,497/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Atlanta → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,013 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $82,289 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $98,630 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $117,284 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $138,595 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $78,570 | $76,658 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $133,040 | $129,802 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $85,990 | $83,897 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $101,180 | $98,717 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.