City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 15.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $115,300 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Wichita, KS ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Philadelphia, PA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,731 in Wichita | $115,299 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Philadelphia → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $58,640 | $67,611 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $105,980 | $122,194 (−8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $79,270 | $91,398 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $76,540 | $88,250 (−12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.