Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Pittsburgh

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 102.6 → 94.7
Rent Delta: -$511/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 8% lower cost of living
  • + $511/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $9K lower median salary

Moving from Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to Pittsburgh shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 102.6 to 94.7 (100 = US average), so a Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary needs to be multiplied by 0.92 to hold the same purchasing power in Pittsburgh. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,810/month in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to $1,299/month in Pittsburgh - a lower monthly bill of $511, or $6,132/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington versus $65,551 in Pittsburgh - a raw gap of $8,709 lower. The Pittsburgh labor market has 1,098,020 tracked jobs against 2,874,190 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington and Pittsburgh are 250 and 250 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.6:1 at origin versus 13.6:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Pittsburgh
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 102.6
RPP 94.7
Pittsburgh
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,810/mo
$1,299/mo
Pittsburgh
💼 Wages
$74,260
$65,551
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🔒 Crime
250 per 100K
250 per 100K
Tie
🎓 Schools
13.6:1
13.6:1
Tie
👶 Childcare
N/A
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
5198 violations
5198 violations
Tie

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to see what you'd need to earn in Pittsburgh to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Pittsburgh
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pittsburgh more expensive than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pittsburgh has an RPP of 94.7 compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington's 102.6 (100 = national average). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Pittsburgh is $1,299/mo vs $1,810/mo in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington.
What are salaries like in Pittsburgh compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The median salary in Pittsburgh is $65,551 compared to $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. That's a -$8,709 difference.
Is Pittsburgh safer than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The violent crime rate near Pittsburgh is 250 per 100K vs 250 per 100K near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (state-level data). Both areas have similar crime rates.
How much would I need to earn in Pittsburgh to match my Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary by 0.92. For example, a $75,000 salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington would need to be $69,235 in Pittsburgh. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)