City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.2% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $102,200 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 $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Ogden, UT than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Ogden, UT to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (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
| Ogden, UT | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,197 in Philadelphia | $97,850 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
62 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Ogden, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Ogden → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $78,570 | $76,881 (+20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $133,040 | $130,180 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $85,990 | $84,141 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $101,180 | $99,005 (+21.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.