Living Cost Compare
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/mo est.

vs
Spokane

Washington

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,070 in Spokane, WA. Overall, Spokane, WA is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA and $65,745 in Spokane, WA — about 8% higher in Spokane, WA. Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Philadelphia, PA
Spokane, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,126
$884
+21% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$1,189
$903
+24% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,394
$1,192
+14% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,406
$1,442
+3% in Spokane, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$232,400
$326,200
+40% in Spokane, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$60,698
$65,745
+8% in Spokane, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,310
$54,660
+1% in Spokane, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.1 yr
37.2 yr
+2.1 yr in Spokane, WA
Homeownership
52.3%
58.3%
+6.0 pp in Spokane, WA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.6%
32.6%
+2.0 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
32.0 min
21.2 min
+10.8 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
917.1
683.6
+25% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
4,615.3
4,931.8
+7% in Spokane, WA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
57.1°F
48.9°F
+8.2°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
48.5 in
17.8 in
+30.7 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$5.12/gal
+33% in Spokane, WA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Washington.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
21.6
14.9
+31% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.17
$20.41
+6% in Spokane, WA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Spokane, WA
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Spokane, WA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Spokane, WA
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.01
+8% in Philadelphia, PA
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (PA / WA)
6%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.07%
None
+3.1 pp in PA

Philadelphia vs Spokane — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Philadelphia or Spokane?
Spokane, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Philadelphia than in Spokane?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Philadelphia versus $36,000 in Spokane.
Which has lower taxes, Philadelphia or Spokane?
Philadelphia is taxed under Pennsylvania's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax); Spokane under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).