Philadelphia vs Allentown
Philadelphia, PA · Allentown, PA
Allentown is 3% cheaper than Philadelphia overall.
Home Price
Philadelphia: $265,000
Allentown: $285,000
Monthly Rent
Philadelphia: $1,350/mo
Allentown: $1,200/mo
COL Index
Philadelphia: 101
Allentown: 98
Median Income
Philadelphia: $54,800
Allentown: $62,000
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Philadelphia has the same purchasing power as $97,030 in Allentown — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Allentown are 8% cheaper (-$20,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Allentown saves you $150/month — $1,800 per year. Median rent: $1,350/mo in Philadelphia vs $1,200/mo in Allentown.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Philadelphia owners pay roughly $3,710/year in property taxes vs $3,990/year in Allentown. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $54,800 in Philadelphia and $62,000 in Allentown. Philadelphia residents earn 13% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 30 minutes in Philadelphia vs 25 minutes in Allentown. Over a year, that's 2500 extra minutes (42 hours) of commuting in Philadelphia.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Philadelphia to Allentown, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Philadelphia | Equivalent in Allentown | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,515 | -$1,485 |
| $75,000 | $72,772 | -$2,228 |
| $100,000 | $97,030 | -$2,970 |
| $150,000 | $145,545 | -$4,455 |
| $200,000 | $194,059 | -$5,941 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Philadelphia Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Philadelphia vs Allentown: Common Questions
Is Philadelphia or Allentown cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Allentown is cheaper overall. Philadelphia has a COL index of 101 while Allentown scores 98 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Philadelphia and Allentown?
The median home price in Philadelphia is $265,000 vs $285,000 in Allentown — a difference of $20,000 (8%).
What salary do I need in Allentown to match my Philadelphia income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Philadelphia is equivalent to $97,030 in Allentown in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Allentown has a lower property tax rate (1.4% vs 1.4%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,710/year vs $3,990/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.