Question 1

Is Philadelphia or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $362/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,810/mo in Philadelphia versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Philadelphia vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $86,000/year before tax in Philadelphia, PA and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $1,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Philadelphia or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,840/month in Philadelphia and $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Philadelphia or Seattle?

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	Philadelphia52	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,381	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,840	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$86,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,810	$2,501
Median home value	$232,400	$912,100
Median household income	$60,698	$121,984
Unemployment	5.0%	4.5%
Housing score	47	35
Jobs score	49	36
Safety score	4	40
Climate score	100	92
Amenities score	46	90
Population	1.6M	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 27°	76° / 37°

Philadelphia, PA vs Seattle, WA