⚖️ City Comparison

Fishers vs Philadelphia

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data

Fishers

Indiana
76
Very Affordable
$188,000
Median Home
$890/mo
Median Rent
$39,700
Median Income

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania
106
Above Average
$240,000
Median Home
$1,400/mo
Median Rent
$49,127
Median Income

💡 The Verdict

28% Cheaper

Fishers is 28% cheaper than Philadelphia overall. A $75,000 salary in Fishers is equivalent to $104,605 in Philadelphia.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values for Fishers (left) vs Philadelphia (right). National average = 100.

Housing
65
Housing
107
Groceries
75
Groceries
104
Utilities
71
Utilities
113
Transportation
80
Transportation
108
Healthcare
80
Healthcare
101

Detailed Price Comparison

Estimated item-level prices in Fishers versus Philadelphia. Differences shown from Fishers perspective.

ItemFishersPhiladelphiaDifference
1-Bed Rent$620/mo$1,060/mo$-440.00
2-Bed Rent$890/mo$1,400/mo$-510.00
3-Bed Rent$1,220/mo$1,850/mo$-630.00
Bread (loaf)$1.90$2.75$-0.85
Milk (gallon)$2.52$3.87$-1.35
Eggs (dozen)$2.66$3.52$-0.86
Coffee (latte)$4.36$5.98$-1.62
Gas (gallon)$2.91$3.54$-0.63
Restaurant Meal$15.89$17.60$-1.71

💰 Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Fishers has the same purchasing power as $104,605 in Philadelphia.

Conversely, $75,000 in Philadelphia equals $53,774 in Fishers.

💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison

Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.

$55,237
Fishers (Indiana)
$55,312
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)

Both states have similar effective tax rates on this salary level. Indiana details → · Pennsylvania details →

⚙️ Customize Your Comparison

Adjust category weights to match your spending priorities.

35%
20%
15%
15%
15%
Your Weighted Score
76 vs 106

Reading These Numbers: Fishers (76) vs Philadelphia (106)

Fishers at 76 is 24% below the US average, while Philadelphia at 106 is 6% above average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.

In Fishers, the composite index of 76 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 65, followed by groceries (75), utilities (71), transportation (80), and healthcare (80). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.

For renters: With median rents of $890/mo in Fishers and $1,400/mo in Philadelphia, the annual rent difference is approximately $6,120.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $30,600.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.

For homebuyers: The $52,000.0 difference in median home prices between Fishers and Philadelphia translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.

🔗 Related Tools

📚 Moving & Relocation Resources

Moving Planners →Finance Books →Budget Planners →

Amazon affiliate links

Making Your Decision: Fishers vs Philadelphia

Choosing between Fishers and Philadelphia involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.

The cost gap between Fishers and Philadelphia reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.