Albany, NY vs Allentown, PA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Allentown, PA has a modeled overall cost index 0.9% lower than Albany, NY.

Albany, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,690 / month
Allentown, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,635 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Albany, NY and Allentown, PA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Albany, NY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $73.16/month in Allentown, PA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,122 in Allentown, PA

Regional cost estimates: Albany, NY uses Newark, NJ. Allentown, PA uses Philadelphia, PA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 0.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$73.16

Savings

Annual Impact

$878

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Albany, NY

Population:101K

Cost Index:

95.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$248K

Allentown, PA

Population:125K

Cost Index:

95.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$257K

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Albany, NY

The Empire State

101K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 101K residents.

Allentown, PA

The Keystone State

125K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 125K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Albany, NY vs Allentown, PA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Albany, NY	Allentown, PA	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,864/mo	$2,016/mo	↑ $152more	8.1%
Other	$1,856/mo	$1,719/mo	↓ $137less	7.4%
Transportation	$1,464/mo	$1,376/mo	↓ $88.36less	6.0%
Healthcare	$668/mo	$607/mo	↓ $61.67less	9.2%
Groceries	$1,068/mo	$1,104/mo	↑ $35.08more	3.3%
All Utilities	$579/mo	$606/mo	↑ $27.22more	4.7%

Housing

↑ 8.1%

Albany, NY

$1,864

Allentown, PA

$2,016

Difference

$152

Other

↓ 7.4%

Albany, NY

$1,856

Allentown, PA

$1,719

Difference

$137

less

Transportation

↓ 6.0%

Albany, NY

$1,464

Allentown, PA

$1,376

Difference

$88.36

less

Healthcare

↓ 9.2%

Albany, NY

$668

Allentown, PA

$607

Difference

$61.67

less

Groceries

↑ 3.3%

Albany, NY

$1,068

Allentown, PA

$1,104

Difference

$35.08

All Utilities

↑ 4.7%

Albany, NY

$579

Allentown, PA

$606

Difference

$27.22

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Allentown, PA: Allentown Earned Income Tax$4,425/yr (2.9%)

Albany, NY has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,210

To$1,130

↓ $80.00

1 Bed

From$1,410

To$1,340

↓ $70.00

2 Bed

From$1,690

To$1,635

↓ $55.00

3 Bed

From$2,030

To$2,090

↑ $60.00

Albany, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,180–$1,640/mo

Allentown, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,240–$1,640/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Albany, NY

$7,427

Monthly in Allentown, PA

$73.16

Difference

Home Values

Albany

Allentown

$248K

Median Value

$257K

↑ +3.8%

YoY Change

↑ +4.7%

↑ +38.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +55.7%

$168K - $329K

Price Range

$203K - $384K

Homes in Allentown are 4% more expensive than Albany

Calculate payment - Albany Calculate payment - Allentown

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.9K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$412

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.3%

Rate difference

Albany, NY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New York State Tax

Effective: 6.4%

$9.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.0%

$46.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,620/month

$103.4K

Allentown, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Additional Tax Information

Albany, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:1.2%

Allentown, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Albany

Allentown

N/A

Air Quality

52 Moderate

Good Air Days

47.3%

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Albany, NY to Allentown, PA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Allentown, PA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Albany, NY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Albany to Allentown moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Allentown, PA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Albany, NY vs Allentown, PA

How do the cost estimates for Albany, NY and Allentown, PA compare?

Allentown, PA has a modeled overall cost index 0.9% lower than Albany, NY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Albany, NY, the model estimates $149,122 in Allentown, PA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Albany, NY and Allentown, PA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,690/month in Albany, NY and $1,635/month in Allentown, PA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between New York and Pennsylvania on TaxTakeHome.com