City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 4.5% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $104,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Raleigh, NC ($117,284 → $111,147), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: 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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,713 in Raleigh | $104,480 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
82 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Philadelphia → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $64,453 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $77,983 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $93,468 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $111,147 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $131,342 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $60,170 | $62,865 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $132,770 | $138,718 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $81,950 | $85,621 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $84,830 | $88,630 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.