Cost of Living: Lancaster, PA vs Pittsburgh, PA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,337/mo in Lancaster, PA versus $4,337/mo in Pittsburgh, PA. In the model, rent is about 17.14% of gross in Lancaster, PA versus 13.89% in Pittsburgh, PA, so Pittsburgh, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Lancaster, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Pittsburgh, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Lancaster, PA
17.14%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Pittsburgh, PA
13.89%
COLI tier: lower-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Lancaster, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Pittsburgh, PA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Pittsburgh, PA
  • Lower home prices: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Higher median household income: Lancaster, PA

Cost of Living Index

Lancaster, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Pittsburgh, PA: 89.6 (U.S. = 100)

Pittsburgh, PA has a lower cost-of-living index than Lancaster, PA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Lancaster, PA: $1,118/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Pittsburgh, PA: $906/mo

Median rent in Lancaster, PA is $212/mo higher than in Pittsburgh, PA.

Median Home Price

Lancaster, PA: $203,700 · Pittsburgh, PA: $118,800

Median home price in Lancaster, PA is $84,900 higher than in Pittsburgh, PA.

Median Household Income

Lancaster, PA: $63,421 · Pittsburgh, PA: $50,833

Lancaster, PA has a higher median household income than Pittsburgh, PA by $12,588.

Lancaster, PA overview · Pittsburgh, PA overview · Popular comparisons