Cost of Living: Philadelphia, PA vs Reading, PA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,337/mo in Philadelphia, PA versus $4,337/mo in Reading, PA. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Philadelphia, PA versus 14.83% in Reading, PA, so Reading, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Philadelphia, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Reading, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Philadelphia, PA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Reading, PA
14.83%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Philadelphia, PA and Reading, PA.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

Philadelphia, PA: 95.2 (U.S. = 100) · Reading, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Philadelphia, PA: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Reading, PA: $967/mo

Median rent in Philadelphia, PA is $290/mo higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Home Price

Philadelphia, PA: $232,400 · Reading, PA: $109,800

Median home price in Philadelphia, PA is $122,600 higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Household Income

Philadelphia, PA: $60,698 · Reading, PA: $45,599

Philadelphia, PA has a higher median household income than Reading, PA by $15,099.

Philadelphia, PA overview · Reading, PA overview · Popular comparisons