City comparison
Augusta, 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 11.6% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $111,600 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 $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,497 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Augusta, GA to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,589 in Philadelphia | $89,614 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/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 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,497/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,497/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Augusta, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Augusta → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $78,570 | $70,410 (+11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $133,040 | $119,223 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $85,990 | $77,059 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $101,180 | $90,672 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.