Living Cost Compare
Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,400/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Aurora, CO versus $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Aurora, CO is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 29% higher in Aurora, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Aurora, CO
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
—
$1,126
1 Bedroom
$1,138
$1,189
+4% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$2,284
$1,394
+39% in Aurora, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,320
$1,406
+39% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$689,000
$232,400
+66% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$85,364
$60,698
+29% in Aurora, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$54,310
+13% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
35.1 yr
+0.2 yr in Aurora, CO
Homeownership
46.0%
52.3%
+6.3 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.4%
34.6%
+6.8 pp in Aurora, CO
Avg Commute
18.7 min
32.0 min
+13.3 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
952.4
916.8
+4% in Aurora, CO
Property Crime
3,366.6
4,614.3
+37% in Philadelphia, PA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
57.1°F
+6.9°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
48.5 in
+32.9 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.54/gal
$4.30/gal
+5% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
$2.50
+9% in Aurora, CO

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs SEPTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
20.9
+25% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$16.67
+43% in Philadelphia, PA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.14
+5% in Aurora, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.92
+9% in Aurora, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.90
+5% in Aurora, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.02
+5% in Aurora, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.68
+9% in Aurora, CO

Average prices — West vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / PA)
2.9%
6%
+3.1 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
3.07%
+1.3 pp in CO

Aurora vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Philadelphia?
Aurora, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,400, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Philadelphia?
Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).