City Comparison
New York vs Philadelphia
Take-home pay, tax burden, and cost of living side-by-side. 2026 tax brackets.
New York
New York
- Net on $110,000
- $75,476
- Effective rate
- 31.4%
- COL index
- 187
- Buying power
- $40,361
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
- Net on $110,000
- $78,269
- Effective rate
- 28.8%
- COL index
- 102
- Buying power
- $76,734
On a $110,000 salary, the raw take-home gap is $2,793, but once you adjust for cost of living the effective buying-power gap is $36,373. To match New York's lifestyle at $110,000, you'd need to earn roughly $57,859 in Philadelphia.
Comparison at different salary levels
Single filer, biweekly pay, standard deduction. Local tax applied where relevant.
| Gross salary | New York net | Philadelphia net | Equivalent in Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $44,788 | $46,157 | $31,757 |
| $85,000 | $60,357 | $62,387 | $44,855 |
| $110,000 | $75,476 | $78,269 | $57,859 |
| $150,000 | $99,032 | $103,048 | $78,630 |
"Equivalent in Philadelphia" = the gross salary you'd need to earn in Philadelphia to match the after-tax, after-COL buying power of the left-column salary in New York.
See individual city breakdowns
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to live in New York or Philadelphia? ▾
Philadelphia is significantly cheaper — COL index of 102 vs 187 (US average = 100). That gap comes mostly from housing; groceries and utilities usually differ by less than the headline COL number suggests.
If I earn $110,000 in New York, what do I need in Philadelphia to match? ▾
To match the same after-tax buying power you'd get from $110,000 in New York, you'd need to earn about $57,859 gross in Philadelphia. That accounts for both the tax difference and the cost-of-living gap.
Which city has lower taxes on a $110,000 salary? ▾
At $110,000, New York has an effective total tax rate of 31.4% vs 28.8% in Philadelphia. That works out to a tax difference of about $2,793 per year.
Does the 'cheaper' city actually leave you better off? ▾
Not always. Raw net pay matters, but so does what that money buys. When we adjust for cost of living, Philadelphia leaves you with about $76,734 of equivalent buying power at $110,000 — compared to $40,361 in the other.