Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,010/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 $1,010 in El Paso, TX versus $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 3% higher in Philadelphia, PA. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

El Paso, TX
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$707
$1,126
+59% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,189
+46% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,394
+40% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,406
+12% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$232,400
+35% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$60,698
+3% in Philadelphia, PA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$54,310
+37% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
35.1 yr
+1.0 yr in Philadelphia, PA
Homeownership
60.2%
52.3%
+7.9 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
34.6%
+7.1 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
23.7 min
32.0 min
+8.3 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
916.8
+187% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
1,509.3
4,614.3
+206% 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
64.6°F
57.1°F
+7.5°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
48.5 in
+38.8 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.30/gal
+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50
$2.50
+67% in Philadelphia, PA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
20.9
+28% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$16.67
+32% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in El Paso, TX
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 (TX / PA)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.07%
+3.1 pp in PA

El Paso vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Philadelphia?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,400, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Philadelphia?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).