City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Spokane, WA
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 Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA 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 $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Spokane, WA ($117,284 → $106,991), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,847 in Spokane | $102,200 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
76 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Spokane, WA | Real change, Philadelphia → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,044 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,068 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,974 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,991 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,432 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $98,800 | $100,974 (+28.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $130,690 | $133,566 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $86,350 | $88,250 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $111,750 | $114,209 (+12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.