Philadelphia, PA vs Jersey City, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Jersey City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 66.0% higher than Philadelphia, PA.

Philadelphia, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,660 / month
Jersey City, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,625 / 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 Philadelphia, PA and Jersey City, NJ 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 Philadelphia, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $5,665/month in Jersey City, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $217,982 in Jersey City, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Philadelphia, PA uses Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Area. Jersey City, NJ uses New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 66.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$5,665

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$68.0K

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.

Philadelphia, PA

Population:1584K

Cost Index:

101.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$241K

Jersey City, NJ

Population:292K

Cost Index:

168.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$637K

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Philadelphia, PA

The Keystone State

1.6M

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Birthplace of America
•Cheesesteak city
•Major East Coast hub

Major Industries

HealthcareEducationFinanceManufacturing

Jersey City, NJ

The Garden State

292K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 292K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Philadelphia, PA vs Jersey City, NJ

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	Philadelphia, PA	Jersey City, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,217/mo	$7,330/mo	↑ $5,113more	230.7%
Other	$1,701/mo	$1,949/mo	↑ $249more	14.6%
Transportation	$1,361/mo	$1,536/mo	↑ $174more	12.8%
Healthcare	$582/mo	$659/mo	↑ $77.19more	13.3%
Groceries	$1,058/mo	$1,117/mo	↑ $58.42more	5.5%
All Utilities	$581/mo	$575/mo	↓ $6.28less	1.1%

Housing

↑ 230.7%

Philadelphia, PA

$2,217

Jersey City, NJ

$7,330

Difference

$5,113

Other

↑ 14.6%

Philadelphia, PA

$1,701

Jersey City, NJ

$1,949

Difference

$249

Transportation

↑ 12.8%

Philadelphia, PA

$1,361

Jersey City, NJ

$1,536

Difference

$174

Healthcare

↑ 13.3%

Philadelphia, PA

$582

Jersey City, NJ

$659

Difference

$77.19

Groceries

↑ 5.5%

Philadelphia, PA

$1,058

Jersey City, NJ

$1,117

Difference

$58.42

All Utilities

↓ 1.1%

Philadelphia, PA

$581

Jersey City, NJ

$575

Difference

$6.28

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Wage Tax (resident)$5,625/yr (3.8%)

Jersey City, NJ 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$1,280

To$2,285

↑ $1,005

1 Bed

From$1,390

To$2,335

↑ $945

2 Bed

From$1,660

To$2,625

↑ $965

3 Bed

From$1,990

To$3,195

↑ $1,205

Philadelphia, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,080–$2,280/mo

Jersey City, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,080–$3,680/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 Philadelphia, PA

$13,165

Monthly in Jersey City, NJ

$5,665

Difference

Home Values

Philadelphia

Jersey City

$241K

Median Value

$637K

↑ +2.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.8%

↑ +9%

5-Year Change

↑ +14.6%

$71K - $855K

Price Range

$525K - $1.16M

Homes in Jersey City are 165% more expensive than Philadelphia

Calculate payment - Philadelphia Calculate payment - Jersey City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.8K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$235

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.9%

Rate difference

Philadelphia, 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

Jersey City, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Philadelphia, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Jersey City, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

💡 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Philadelphia, PA

33/100

3.6% sidewalk tags · 5.9% cycling tags

Jersey City, NJ: No data yet

Environment

Philadelphia

Jersey City

52 Moderate

Air Quality

41 Good

47.3%

Good Air Days

71.3%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌡

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Philadelphia, PA to Jersey City, NJ

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Jersey City, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Philadelphia, PA. 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 Philadelphia to Jersey City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Jersey City, NJ by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Philadelphia, PA vs Jersey City, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Philadelphia, PA and Jersey City, NJ compare?

Jersey City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 66.0% higher than Philadelphia, PA. 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 Philadelphia, PA, the model estimates $217,982 in Jersey City, NJ. 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 Philadelphia, PA and Jersey City, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,660/month in Philadelphia, PA and $2,625/month in Jersey City, NJ. 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 Pennsylvania and New Jersey on TaxTakeHome.com