Living Cost Compare
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/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 $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 17% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$908
$1,126
+24% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$984
$1,189
+21% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,193
$1,394
+17% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,406
+2% in Omaha, NE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$230,100
$232,400
+1% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income
$72,708
$60,698
+17% in Omaha, NE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,660
$54,310
+9% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
35.1 yr
+0.2 yr in Omaha, NE
Homeownership
57.7%
52.3%
+5.4 pp in Omaha, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.3%
34.6%
+5.7 pp in Omaha, NE
Avg Commute
19.6 min
32.0 min
+12.4 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
359
917.1
+155% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
3,153.5
4,615.3
+46% 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
51.1°F
57.1°F
+6.0°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
30.6 in
48.5 in
+17.9 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in Omaha, NE

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.50
+100% in Philadelphia, PA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
21.6
+59% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.53
$19.17
+23% 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 Omaha, NE
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 (NE / PA)
5.5%
6%
+0.5 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.55%
3.07%
+1.5 pp in NE

Omaha vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Philadelphia?
Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Philadelphia?
Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).