Philadelphia
United States · North America · 1.6M people
Historic East Coast city with a large student population and dense rail links.
Ranked #173 of 303 overall · 39.95, -75.17
Overview
Philadelphia sits in United States, on the North American continent, home to roughly 1.6 million people. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. People who choose to settle in Philadelphia tend to point to solid infrastructure for remote work, reliable healthcare, and public transport good enough to skip owning a car as the deciding factors. Against its 48 tracked peers in North America, Philadelphia's 6.4/10 overall score sits 0.1 points above the regional average of 6.3. On CityMatch, Philadelphia scores 6.4/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #173 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while safety is its softest spot at 5/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Worth checking specific areas before committing.
No major pollution concerns on average.
Workable without being exceptional.
Not everyone's ideal climate.
Standard care access, nothing exceptional.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Philadelphia right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Public transport scores 7/10, dense enough that skipping a car is realistic for most residents.
Healthcare scores 7/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Trade-offs
Safety scores 5/10, the weakest link on Philadelphia's scorecard and worth researching by neighborhood before moving.
Climate is the hardest trade-off here at 5/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Is Philadelphia safe?
Philadelphia scores 5/10 on safety, a mixed picture. Safety here varies more by specific neighborhood and time of day than in higher-scoring cities, so a little local research goes a long way.
At night
We'd lean toward rideshares or taxis after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes, particularly outside the main tourist and business districts.
For tourists
Tourists should do a bit more homework here than usual — checking which districts are considered fine for visitors and which are best avoided, especially after dark.
For families
Safety, healthcare (7/10) and environment (6/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travelers, and particularly those less familiar with the region, may want to research specific neighborhoods and current local advice more closely before finalizing plans.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Research specific neighborhoods before booking accommodation.
- →Arrange transport in advance for anything after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes.
What's the climate like in Philadelphia?
Climate (5/10) is a moderate trade-off here, not severe, but not something to move for either.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Philadelphia
Put together, quality of life in Philadelphia is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, philadelphia has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, Philadelphia has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (6/10) and climate (5/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Philadelphia is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, Philadelphia tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and public transport over safety — see "Who Philadelphia suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Philadelphia?
Environment scores 6/10 here, solidly average: no particular pollution concern, but not a headline strength either.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Philadelphia suits
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.6/10 here).
Student
Students — students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (fit score 6.5/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 6.4/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 6/10 for cost of living, Philadelphia lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
Philadelphia scores 5/10 on safety, meaning it's worth researching specific neighborhoods rather than assuming the city-wide average applies everywhere.
Climate
Philadelphia scores 5/10 on climate, so pack for genuine seasons rather than assuming mild weather year-round.
Quality of life
Quality of life in Philadelphia is uneven rather than uniformly good or bad — a 6.4/10 average built on a clear high point in internet & connectivity and a clear weak point in safety. The average across all seven criteria is 6.4/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Philadelphia covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 9/10 for internet, Philadelphia is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Philadelphia?
The short version: choose Philadelphia for its internet & connectivity, and go in with clear eyes about safety. Its 6.4/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Philadelphia safe?
Philadelphia scores 5/10 on safety, a mixed picture. Safety varies noticeably by neighborhood here, so it's worth researching specific areas before you commit to one.
What budget do I need to live in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia scores 6/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Philadelphia good for families?
Philadelphia is a reasonable family option — safety (5/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Philadelphia a good city for students?
Yes, Philadelphia is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (6/10) and transport (7/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is Philadelphia suitable for digital nomads?
Philadelphia isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 9/10 and cost of living 6/10.
What's the climate like in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is Philadelphia pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Philadelphia scores 5/10 on climate and 6/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Philadelphia a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.3/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Philadelphia?
Yes — Philadelphia scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Philadelphia a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 5.7/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Philadelphia?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Liverpool and Montreal are the closest matches to Philadelphia in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Philadelphia worth living in?
Reasonably — Philadelphia scores 6.4/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Philadelphia?
Based on its score profile, Philadelphia suits people who value internet & connectivity and public transport more than the average mover — see the "Who Philadelphia suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Philadelphia walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Philadelphia scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Philadelphia?
Internet & connectivity is Philadelphia's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Philadelphia?
Safety is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 5/10 — the lowest of Philadelphia's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.