Question 1

Is Long Beach or Philadelphia cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,628/month less than in Long Beach, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,903/mo in Long Beach versus $1,810/mo in Philadelphia.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Long Beach vs Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $121,500/year before tax in Long Beach, CA and $86,000/year in Philadelphia, PA — a difference of about $35,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Long Beach or Philadelphia cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $11,302/month in Long Beach and $7,840/month in Philadelphia, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Long Beach or Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Philadelphia costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Long Beach46	Philadelphia52
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,009	$4,381
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$11,302	$7,840
Salary for comfort	$121,500/yr	$86,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,903	$1,810
Median home value	$762,200	$232,400
Median household income	$83,969	$60,698
Unemployment	5.1%	5.0%
Housing score	5	47
Jobs score	27	49
Safety score	41	4
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	91	46
Population	458.5K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	82° / 46°	88° / 27°

Long Beach, CA vs Philadelphia, PA