Cost of Living: Melrose, MA vs Philadelphia, PA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Melrose, MA versus $4,337/mo in Philadelphia, PA. In the model, rent is about 28.17% of gross in Melrose, MA versus 19.29% in Philadelphia, PA, so Philadelphia, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Melrose, MA and Philadelphia, PA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Philadelphia, PA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Philadelphia, PA
- Lower home prices: Philadelphia, PA
- Higher median household income: Melrose, MA
Cost of Living Index
Melrose, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Philadelphia, PA: 95.2 (U.S. = 100)
Philadelphia, PA has a lower cost-of-living index than Melrose, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Melrose, MA: $1,837/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Philadelphia, PA: $1,257/mo
Median rent in Melrose, MA is $580/mo higher than in Philadelphia, PA.
Median Home Price
Melrose, MA: $796,100 · Philadelphia, PA: $232,400
Median home price in Melrose, MA is $563,700 higher than in Philadelphia, PA.
Median Household Income
Melrose, MA: $126,854 · Philadelphia, PA: $60,698
Melrose, MA has a higher median household income than Philadelphia, PA by $66,156.
Melrose, MA overview · Philadelphia, PA overview · Popular comparisons