Moving from Philadelphia to Charlotte
A typical worker keeps $3,961 more a year in Philadelphia than in Charlotte, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical Philadelphia salary of $54,310, you'd need about $55,200 in Charlotte.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps $3,961 more a year in Philadelphia than in Charlotte.
- Typical salary
- $54,310
- Federal income tax
- −$4,337
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,155
- State income tax
- −$1,667
- Local income tax
- −$2,028
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$18,072
- Everyday costs
- −$18,199
a year, or $488 a month
- Typical salary
- $49,990
- Federal income tax
- −$3,819
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,824
- State income tax
- −$1,486
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$21,792
- Everyday costs
- −$17,178
a year, or $158 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| Philadelphia | Charlotte | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)5.1% cheaper | 102.6 | 97.3 |
| Rent, studio$353 more | $1,390 | $1,743 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$310 more | $1,506 | $1,816 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$180 more | $1,798 | $1,978 |
| Food$1 less | $478 | $477 |
| Transportation$1 less | $378 | $377 |
| Healthcare$17 less | $363 | $346 |
| Utilities$66 less | $298 | $232 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$225 more | $3,023 | $3,248 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | Philadelphia | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$3,961 less | $54,310 | $49,990 |
| Registered nurse$6,349 less | $101,180 | $90,620 |
| Teacher$13,927 less | $79,295 | $59,325 |
| Accountant$4,823 more | $85,990 | $92,910 |
| Software engineer$3,409 more | $133,040 | $135,920 |
| Truck driver$3,000 less | $59,370 | $56,120 |
| Nursing assistant$6,075 less | $46,220 | $39,430 |
| Medical assistant$416 less | $45,890 | $46,520 |
| Auto mechanic$4,210 less | $58,460 | $53,660 |
| Financial analyst$7,868 more | $95,400 | $106,510 |
| Project manager$1,431 more | $104,160 | $105,200 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $54,310 (a typical Philadelphia wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| Philadelphia | Charlotte | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $4,337 | $4,337 |
| Payroll taxesNo change | $4,155 | $4,155 |
| State income tax$9 less | $1,667 | $1,658 |
| Local income tax$2,028 less | $2,028 | $0 |
| Total$2,038 less | $12,188 | $10,150 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| Philadelphia | Charlotte | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$25,895 more | $60,521 | $86,416 |
| Median home value$178,300 more | $253,600 | $431,900 |
| Unemployment rate1.6 pts lower | 5.9% | 4.3% |
| Working from home10.6 pts higher | 14.4% | 25% |
Moving to Charlotte
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte than Philadelphia?
Yes: prices in the Charlotte area are 3% below the US average, against 3% above the US average in the Philadelphia area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,816 a month in Charlotte and $1,506 in Philadelphia.
How much more is rent in Charlotte?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $310 a month (20.6%) higher in Charlotte: $1,816 in Charlotte against $1,506 in Philadelphia.
How much do I need to earn in Charlotte to keep the same as in Philadelphia?
A typical worker in Philadelphia earns $54,310. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $55,200 in Charlotte.
Will I pay more tax in Charlotte?
North Carolina taxes wages, and Pennsylvania taxes wages. On a typical Philadelphia salary of $54,310, total income and payroll taxes come to $10,150 in Charlotte and $12,188 in Philadelphia.
Do people keep more money in Charlotte or Philadelphia?
A typical worker keeps $3,961 more a year in Philadelphia than in Charlotte: $1,891 in Charlotte against $5,852 in Philadelphia, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate