Cost of Living: Columbus, GA vs Philadelphia, PA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,181/mo in Columbus, GA versus $4,337/mo in Philadelphia, PA. In the model, rent is about 15.62% of gross in Columbus, GA versus 19.29% in Philadelphia, PA, so Columbus, GA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Columbus, GA
$4,181/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Philadelphia, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Columbus, GA
15.62%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Philadelphia, PA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Columbus, GA and Philadelphia, PA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Philadelphia, PA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Columbus, GA
  • Lower home prices: Columbus, GA
  • Higher median household income: Philadelphia, PA

Cost of Living Index

Columbus, GA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Philadelphia, PA: 95.2 (U.S. = 100)

Philadelphia, PA has a lower cost-of-living index than Columbus, GA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Columbus, GA: $1,019/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Philadelphia, PA: $1,257/mo

Median rent in Philadelphia, PA is $238/mo higher than in Columbus, GA.

Median Home Price

Columbus, GA: $182,300 · Philadelphia, PA: $232,400

Median home price in Philadelphia, PA is $50,100 higher than in Columbus, GA.

Median Household Income

Columbus, GA: $56,622 · Philadelphia, PA: $60,698

Philadelphia, PA has a higher median household income than Columbus, GA by $4,076.

Columbus, GA overview · Philadelphia, PA overview · Popular comparisons