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Los Angeles vs Philadelphia cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐บ๐ธ Philadelphia
At a glance
- Where Philadelphia is clearly cheaper: Beer (28%โ), Half-day tour (27%โ), Studio rent (month) (26%โ)
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Transit (40%โ), Local meal (18%โ), Massage (17%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Philadelphia is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Los Angeles 2 vs Philadelphia 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | Philadelphia | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | $ 22$22 | Los Angeles โ18% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | $ 12$12 | Los Angeles โ8% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | $ 42$42 | Philadelphia โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 5.1$5.1 | Philadelphia โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Philadelphia โ28% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | $ 14$14 | Philadelphia โ18% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | $ 2$2 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Philadelphia โ7% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | $ 15$15 | Philadelphia โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | $ 9$9 | Philadelphia โ10% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | $ 2.9$2.9 | Los Angeles โ40% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | $ 35$35 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | $ 175$175 | Philadelphia โ12% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | $ 1,550$1,550 | Philadelphia โ26% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | $ 4$4 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | $ 33$33 | Los Angeles โ9% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | $ 90$90 | Los Angeles โ17% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | $ 55$55 | Philadelphia โ27% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | $ 30$30 | Los Angeles โ7% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is 13% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $368 vs $336; a month $7,222 vs $6,015.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is easier: Philadelphia 1.4/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and Philadelphia?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and Philadelphia about $6,015 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.