Philadelphia vs San Francisco: Cost of Living
San Francisco is about 13% more expensive than Philadelphia, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Philadelphia at 102.554, San Francisco at 115.613.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Philadelphia: 102.554
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
San Francisco: 115.613
Salary parity ($100K in Philadelphia)
$113K in San Francisco
If you earn $100K in Philadelphia, you would need about $113K in San Francisco to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Philadelphia
Rent price parity: 113.141 (U.S. average = 100)
San Francisco
Rent price parity: 194.718 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Philadelphia) | Take-home (Philadelphia) | Median (San Francisco) | Take-home (San Francisco) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $133K | $98K | $187K | $126K |
| Data Scientist | $110K | $83K | $170K | $116K |
| Registered Nurse | $101K | $77K | $187K | $126K |
| Accountant | $86K | $67K | $111K | $81K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104K | $79K | $161K | $111K |
| Marketing Manager | $166K | $120K | $220K | $147K |
| Electrician | $75K | $59K | $93K | $70K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $79K | $62K | $102K | $75K |
| Police Officer | $90K | $69K | $132K | $93K |
| Chef | $66K | $53K | $69K | $55K |
| Financial Analyst | $95K | $73K | $131K | $92K |
| Civil Engineer | $99K | $76K | $130K | $92K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $70K | $56K | $84K | $64K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $65K | $52K | $78K | $61K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania state tax), San Francisco (California state tax). A $100K salary nets about $76K in Philadelphia vs $74K in San Francisco. Full assumptions: methodology.