Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,550/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 $1,550 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 23% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$1,126
+21% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$1,189
+13% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,394
+7% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,406
+15% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$232,400
+34% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$60,698
+23% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$54,310
+9% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
35.1 yr
+0.7 yr in Philadelphia, PA
Homeownership
51.5%
52.3%
+0.8 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
34.6%
+12.8 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
32.0 min
+7.0 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
916.8
+25% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
3,719
4,614.3
+24% 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
59.9°F
57.1°F
+2.8°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
48.5 in
+6.9 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.30/gal
$4.30/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
$2.50
+14% in Philadelphia, PA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.0
20.9
+31% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.50
$16.67
+5% in Charlotte, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in Charlotte, NC
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.92
+11% in Philadelphia, PA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in Philadelphia, PA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.90
+5% in Philadelphia, PA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.02
+6% in Philadelphia, PA
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.68
+11% in Philadelphia, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / PA)
4.75%
6%
+1.3 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
3.07%
+0.9 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,400 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Charlotte, NC's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Philadelphia?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).