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Philadelphia Prices & Cost of Living 2026
United States · Big city · East — Philadelphia is about 19% cheaper than New York. Not just exchange rates: what a fair price is, where it turns into a rip-off, and what that means in your money.
Philadelphia prices at a glance
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Philadelphia travel difficulty
Posted prices; menus exclude sales tax and tip
Native English; no language issues
SEPTA Airport Line to Center City; historic core is walkable
Cards everywhere; SEPTA uses a Key card or app ticket
Center City and Old City OK; avoid Kensington's drug scene
Good to knowAvoid the Market-Frankford El through Kensington at night — take Uber instead
Handy apps: Uber · Lyft
Visas depend on your passport, so they are not scored. Felt different on the ground? Tell other travelers below. Travel difficulty in the Americas › Difficulty ranking for 502 cities ›
In your money
Philadelphia is about 19% cheaper than New York
Based on 8 things travelers buy most, compared with New York. Each pair of bars is the same purchase in both cities, converted to your currency. Set your own city and currency in “My basis” above.
Philadelphia in numbers
- 🍜4.5 local meals
- ☕19 coffees
- 🍺15 beers
- 🚕6.6 5-km taxi rides
- 💆1.1 h of massage
- 🏨0.5 hotel nights
- Local meal51 min · New York 52 min
- Coffee12 min · New York 15 min
- Beer15 min · New York 23 min
- Taxi35 min · New York 59 min
- Half-day tour#115 priciest
- Beer#110 priciest
- Taxi#90 priciest
Philadelphia price guide & rip-off thresholds
Philadelphia travel budget
Per person per day, estimated. Flights and shopping not included.
See 4-day, 1-week and 1-month budget tables › · Plan a multi-city trip budget ›
How to spend money in Philadelphia
Cards work everywhere.
18–20% of the pre-tax bill is effectively standard at restaurants; $1–2 a drink at bars, ~15% for taxis and Uber.
Listed prices exclude sales tax; tax (varies by state and city) and tip are added at checkout.
Outside big cities you need a car; Uber and Lyft fill the gap.
No haggling.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Hotel "resort fees", and tipping twice when a gratuity is already on the bill.
Live prices reported in Philadelphia
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FAQ
Is Philadelphia cheaper than New York?
Across 8 things travelers buy most (meals, coffee, beer, taxis, hotels…), Philadelphia is about 19% cheaper than New York. A local meal is about $22 and a coffee about $5.1.
How hard is Philadelphia to travel?
Averaging rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, Philadelphia scores 1.4/5 — 'very easy'. Nothing stands out as hard. Tip: Avoid the Market-Frankford El through Kensington at night — take Uber instead
Is Philadelphia good for first-time travelers?
Yes — it is one of the easier places to travel (1.4/5). Avoid the Market-Frankford El through Kensington at night — take Uber instead
What is a realistic daily budget for Philadelphia?
Mid-range (3-star hotel, local meals plus a dinner out, two taxi rides) is about $336 a day. Guesthouses and street food bring it to about $129; 4-star and restaurants push it to about $662.
How much does it cost to live in Philadelphia for a month?
A short-term studio (about $3,512) plus food, transport and a SIM (about $2,503) comes to roughly $6,015 a month. A local long-term lease (studio about $1,550) brings it down a lot.
How much should a taxi cost in Philadelphia?
For 5 km in town, expect $12 – $24; anything above $28.8 is suspicious. Outside big cities you need a car; Uber and Lyft fill the gap.
Do you tip in Philadelphia?
18–20% of the pre-tax bill is effectively standard at restaurants; $1–2 a drink at bars, ~15% for taxis and Uber. Listed prices exclude sales tax; tax (varies by state and city) and tip are added at checkout.
Can you use cards in Philadelphia?
Cards work everywhere.
Where do these numbers come from?
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in the median of what people actually paid.
Fair range & rip-off line — each item gets its own spread (tight for transit, wide for street food). Above 1.2× the top of the fair range is flagged as a likely rip-off.
Budgets add up item prices for the lifestyle described above. Peak season and prime tourist spots run higher.
Exchange rate as of October 2026: 1 USD = $1. Last updated 2026-10-05.