Living Cost Compare
Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 35% higher in Philadelphia, PA. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Cleveland, OH
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$678
$1,126
+66% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$732
$1,189
+62% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$903
$1,394
+54% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,081
$1,406
+30% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$94,100
$232,400
+147% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income
$39,187
$60,698
+55% in Philadelphia, PA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,140
$54,310
+8% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.3 yr
35.1 yr
+1.2 yr in Cleveland, OH
Homeownership
41.2%
52.3%
+11.1 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
21.3%
34.6%
+13.3 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
22.9 min
32.0 min
+9.1 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,582
917.1
+42% in Cleveland, OH
Property Crime
4,531.3
4,615.3
+2% 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
52.7°F
57.1°F
+4.4°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
36.4 in
48.5 in
+12.2 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.18/gal
$3.86/gal
+8% in Cleveland, OH

Area: Ohio vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.5
21.6
+10% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.83
$19.17
+16% in Cleveland, OH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.92
+16% in Philadelphia, PA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Cleveland, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in Philadelphia, PA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in Philadelphia, PA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Philadelphia, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / PA)
5.75%
6%
+0.3 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
3.07%
+0.3 pp in PA

Cleveland vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Philadelphia?
Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Philadelphia?
Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).