Median rent is 10% lower in Philadelphia ($1,397/mo vs $1,556/mo). Buying is cheaper in Philadelphia, where the median home runs $243,100 versus $548,300. Households earn more in Reno ($80,760 vs $61,953 a year).
City A
Philadelphia, PA
City B
Reno, NV
How much would you need to earn in Reno, NV to maintain your standard of living from Philadelphia, PA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Reno
Nevada
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Philadelphia at $1,397/mo compared to $1,556/mo in Reno (10% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Reno: the median home is $548,300 versus $243,100 in Philadelphia — 56% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Philadelphia
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Reno
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Philadelphia averages 54.0 AQI (Moderate) and Reno averages 54.0 AQI (Moderate).
Pick Reno if you prioritize higher median household income ($80,760/yr).
Is Philadelphia cheaper than Reno?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Philadelphia vs Reno?
Median rent is $1,397/mo in Philadelphia, PA and $1,556/mo in Reno, NV. Philadelphia, PA has the lower rent by about 10%.
Which has higher salaries — Philadelphia or Reno?
Median household income is $61,953 in Philadelphia, PA and $80,760 in Reno, NV. Reno, NV has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Reno, NV has better air quality on average: 54.0 AQI versus 54.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Philadelphia or Reno?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Reno to match my Philadelphia income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
