City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 10.4% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $110,400 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,070 a year in PA and $2,921 in IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to South Bend, IN ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,545 in South Bend | $110,442 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $46,540 |
| 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | South Bend, IN | Real change, Philadelphia → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $58,180 | $64,255 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $95,500 | $105,472 (−20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $77,940 | $86,078 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $93,540 | $103,307 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.