Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Binghamton, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Binghamton, NY has a modeled overall cost index 5.9% higher than Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Wilkes-Barre, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,155 / month
Binghamton, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,080 / 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA and Binghamton, NY 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $384/month in Binghamton, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $154,603 in Binghamton, NY

Regional cost estimates: Wilkes-Barre, PA uses Philadelphia, PA. Binghamton, NY uses Newark, NJ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 5.9%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$384

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$4.6K

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.

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Population:44K

Cost Index:

87.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$179K

Binghamton, NY

Population:47K

Cost Index:

93.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$176K

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Wilkes-Barre, PA

The Keystone State

44K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 44K residents.

Binghamton, NY

The Empire State

47K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 47K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Binghamton, NY

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	Wilkes-Barre, PA	Binghamton, NY	Difference	Change
Other	$1,714/mo	$1,941/mo	↑ $227more	13.3%
Transportation	$1,372/mo	$1,532/mo	↑ $159more	11.6%
Healthcare	$629/mo	$710/mo	↑ $80.71more	12.8%
Housing	$2,011/mo	$1,950/mo	↓ $60.52less	3.0%
All Utilities	$629/mo	$615/mo	↓ $13.74less	2.2%
Groceries	$1,145/mo	$1,135/mo	↓ $9.63less	0.8%

Other

↑ 13.3%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,714

Binghamton, NY

$1,941

Difference

$227

Transportation

↑ 11.6%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,372

Binghamton, NY

$1,532

Difference

$159

Healthcare

↑ 12.8%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$629

Binghamton, NY

$710

Difference

$80.71

Housing

↓ 3.0%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$2,011

Binghamton, NY

$1,950

Difference

$60.52

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$629

Binghamton, NY

$615

Difference

$13.74

less

Groceries

↓ 0.8%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,145

Binghamton, NY

$1,135

Difference

$9.63

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Wilkes-Barre, PA: Wilkes-Barre Earned Income Tax$4,500/yr (3.0%)

Binghamton, 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$795

To$790

↓ $5.00

1 Bed

From$950

To$855

↓ $95.00

2 Bed

From$1,155

To$1,080

↓ $75.00

3 Bed

From$1,505

To$1,390

↓ $115

Wilkes-Barre, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,010/mo

Binghamton, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $850–$940/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 Wilkes-Barre, PA

$7,884

Monthly in Binghamton, NY

$384

Difference

Home Values

Wilkes-Barre

Binghamton

$179K

Median Value

$176K

↑ +7.2%

YoY Change

↑ +3.4%

↑ +67.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +50.2%

$179K - $180K

Price Range

$149K - $188K

Homes in Binghamton are 2% less expensive than Wilkes-Barre

Calculate payment - Wilkes-Barre Calculate payment - Binghamton

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $4.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$412

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.3%

Rate difference

Wilkes-Barre, 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

Binghamton, 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

Additional Tax Information

Wilkes-Barre, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Binghamton, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:1.2%

💡 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

Wilkes-Barre

Binghamton

52 Moderate

Air Quality

N/A

47.3%

Good Air Days

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

Before moving from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Binghamton, NY

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Binghamton, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wilkes-Barre, 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 Wilkes-Barre to Binghamton moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Binghamton, NY

How do the cost estimates for Wilkes-Barre, PA and Binghamton, NY compare?

Binghamton, NY has a modeled overall cost index 5.9% higher than Wilkes-Barre, 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA, the model estimates $154,603 in Binghamton, NY. 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA and Binghamton, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,155/month in Wilkes-Barre, PA and $1,080/month in Binghamton, NY. 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 York on TaxTakeHome.com