Living Cost Compare
Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,430 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 6% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$726
$1,126
+55% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$777
$1,189
+53% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$962
$1,394
+45% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,117
$1,406
+26% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$162,900
$232,400
+43% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income
$64,497
$60,698
+6% in Davenport, IA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,550
$54,310
+12% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.8 yr
35.1 yr
+2.7 yr in Davenport, IA
Homeownership
63.0%
52.3%
+10.7 pp in Davenport, IA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
34.6%
+4.6 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
32.0 min
+13.3 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
581.4
917.1
+58% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
3,559.6
4,615.3
+30% 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
49.3°F
57.1°F
+7.8°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
36.0 in
48.5 in
+12.5 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Philadelphia, PA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
21.7
+36% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.16
$26.08
+18% in Philadelphia, PA

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 Davenport, IA
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 (IA / PA)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
3.80%
3.07%
+0.7 pp in IA

Davenport vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Philadelphia?
Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Philadelphia?
Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% 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).