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New York 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 New York
๐บ๐ธ Philadelphia
At a glance
- Where Philadelphia is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (53%โ), Scooter rental (49%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (36%โ)
- Where New York is clearly cheaper: Street food (17%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Philadelphia is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ New York 2 vs Philadelphia 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | New York | Philadelphia | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 20$20 | $ 22$22 | New York โ9% |
| Street food1 item | $ 10$10 | $ 12$12 | New York โ17% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 55$55 | $ 42$42 | Philadelphia โ24% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 6$6 | $ 5.1$5.1 | Philadelphia โ15% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Philadelphia โ28% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 19$19 | $ 14$14 | Philadelphia โ26% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | $ 2$2 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Philadelphia โ7% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 23$23 | $ 15$15 | Philadelphia โ35% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 14$14 | $ 9$9 | Philadelphia โ36% |
| Transitone ride | $ 3$3 | $ 2.9$2.9 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 68$68 | $ 35$35 | Philadelphia โ49% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 270$270 | $ 175$175 | Philadelphia โ35% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 3,300$3,300 | $ 1,550$1,550 | Philadelphia โ53% |
| Laundry | $ 4.5$4.5 | $ 4$4 | Philadelphia โ11% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 30$30 | $ 25$25 | Philadelphia โ17% |
| Haircutcut | $ 42$42 | $ 33$33 | Philadelphia โ21% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 100$100 | $ 90$90 | Philadelphia โ10% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 80$80 | $ 55$55 | Philadelphia โ31% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 30$30 | $ 30$30 | similar |
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, New York or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is 35% cheaper than New York. Daily budget $467 vs $336; a month $10,297 vs $6,015.
Which is easier to travel, New York or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is easier: Philadelphia 1.4/5 vs New York 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between New York and Philadelphia?
With a short-term studio and living costs, New York is about $10,297 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.