City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 2.8% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $102,800 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Portland, OR ($117,284 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,796 in Portland | $97,280 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
55 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, OR | Real change, Philadelphia → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $66,505 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $80,465 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $96,443 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $114,684 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $135,522 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $82,330 | $80,091 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $156,000 | $151,757 (+14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $92,200 | $89,693 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $130,310 | $126,766 (+25.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.