City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 4.4% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $104,400 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Provo, UT ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,786 in Provo | $104,400 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
82 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Provo, UT | Real change, Philadelphia → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $62,930 | $65,699 (−16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $131,210 | $136,983 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $75,700 | $79,031 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $81,780 | $85,378 (−15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.