Philadelphia vs Harrisburg
Philadelphia, PA · Harrisburg, PA
Harrisburg is 10% cheaper than Philadelphia overall.
Home Price
Philadelphia: $265,000
Harrisburg: $195,000
Monthly Rent
Philadelphia: $1,350/mo
Harrisburg: $1,100/mo
COL Index
Philadelphia: 101
Harrisburg: 91
Median Income
Philadelphia: $54,800
Harrisburg: $63,200
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 $90,099 in Harrisburg — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Harrisburg cost 26% more (-$70,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Harrisburg saves you $250/month — $3,000 per year. Median rent: $1,350/mo in Philadelphia vs $1,100/mo in Harrisburg.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Philadelphia owners pay roughly $3,710/year in property taxes vs $2,730/year in Harrisburg. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $54,800 in Philadelphia and $63,200 in Harrisburg. Philadelphia residents earn 15% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 30 minutes in Philadelphia vs 23 minutes in Harrisburg. Over a year, that's 3500 extra minutes (58 hours) of commuting in Philadelphia.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Philadelphia | Equivalent in Harrisburg | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $45,050 | -$4,950 |
| $75,000 | $67,574 | -$7,426 |
| $100,000 | $90,099 | -$9,901 |
| $150,000 | $135,149 | -$14,851 |
| $200,000 | $180,198 | -$19,802 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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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 Harrisburg: Common Questions
Is Philadelphia or Harrisburg cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Harrisburg is cheaper overall. Philadelphia has a COL index of 101 while Harrisburg scores 91 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Philadelphia and Harrisburg?
The median home price in Philadelphia is $265,000 vs $195,000 in Harrisburg — a difference of $70,000 (26%).
What salary do I need in Harrisburg to match my Philadelphia income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Philadelphia is equivalent to $90,099 in Harrisburg in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Harrisburg has a lower property tax rate (1.4% vs 1.4%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,730/year vs $3,710/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.