How Much Does It Cost to Live In Pittsburgh, PA?
Pittsburgh is a city in southwestern Pennsylvania with the population of its metropolitan area amounting to around 2.4 million.
Pittsburgh’s very specific and – let’s be honest, weird – terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a melting pot of unique neighborhood “pockets” where each has its own diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.
The city, being one of the more important ones in Pennsylvania, has important sights and landmarks to offer to its tourists and residents, as well as other forms of entertainment and leisure.
United States : Cost of Living by City
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RESTAURANTS
Cost of food varies depending on whether you buy groceries and cook at home or eat at restaurants. It’s a definitely a good city food-wise, and it’s no wonder why. You can visit the Strip District, Oakland, Squirrel Hill, even downtown and there’s amazing variety of restaurants, food stalls and fast food restaurants. Sit down restaurants can be 20$ per meal, and fast food can be as little as 4-5$.
MARKETS
When it comes to buying food at supermarkets, it is definitely cheaper than eating out regularly. The cost of monthly groceries depends on the person, but if you shop at Aldi’s, you’ll get more food for less money compared to Giant Eagle, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods.
TRANSPORTATION
Port Authority is the cities main public transportation service that operates bus, light rail, and incline service. Bus service is well-organized and covers much of Pittsburgh – while also being reliable and clean. Fares vary depending on the zone you are traveling to and from. Of course, taxis are always good way of getting around Pittsburgh’s inexplicable roads, but they’re also more expensive.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities can be considered expensive Pittsburgh, but it does depend on the size of your apartment. Generally speaking, if you’re living in an apartment of about 85m2 your utilities including electricity, gas, water, heating and cooling will cost you around 170$. The internet service is fast and costs around 76$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Fitness and practicing sports is somewhat of a luxury everywhere and this applies to every city and country, and so it applies to Pittsburgh, too. If you want to become a member of a gym or a fitness club, expect it to cost around 30$. Cinema tickets are cheap, too: if you want to go to the movies, prepare 10$ for your ticket.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Downtown Pittsburgh boasts shops of every description, but your best bet is to visit them during standard business hours. It also has many malls, but downtown has its own charming vibe for window shopping, if nothing else. You can find quality jeans like Levi’s for only 40$, while a pair of quality running shoes of brands like Nike cost around 80$.
RENT PER MONTH
Apartment rents vary as well. The least expensive apartment prices are around 800$ and most expensive places are upwards of 5000$, although the average rent ranges from $800 to $1200. It all depends on where you want to live and how big you want your apartment to be. If you’ve got your mind set on the city center, the average price will be around 1100$.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Pittsburgh, PA
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $14.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $4.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.11 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.89 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $2.25 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.88 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $2.75 |
| Monthly Pass | $97.50 |
| Gasoline | $0.81 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $172.65 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.08 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $76.36 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $30.00 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $32.33 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $41.90 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $36.12 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $77.00 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1144.38 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $845.87 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2067.00 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Pittsburgh, PA?
Rent is definitely how the average person in Pittsburgh spends the biggest part of their salary, with food not too far behind.
Food is, actually, the next thing that draws the biggest bulk of money from the people of Pittsburgh.
The fact that rent takes the primate over food in the statistics of biggest expenses in Pittsburgh, means that it is truly through the roof.
Restaurants are the third on the pie chart of expenses, followed by transportation which is an everyday necessity.
Average Costs Breakdown
Pittsburgh, PA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
In Pittsburgh, there is a more cosmopolitan marketplace in terms of job variability, but it is still in select industries.
Salaries in general are lower than other major cities, but so is the cost of living scale.
The average monthly net salary is nearly 3000$ which allows for residents of Pittsburgh to live without having to worry about their existence.
Minimum wage in Pittsburgh is around 1200$ which is relatively low yet definitely high enough to be able to cover all of your costs in this city.
What About Travel Safety in Pittsburgh, PA?
Pittsburgh Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Pittsburgh Safety Review
Safety Index:- OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK : LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : LOW
- MUGGING RISK : MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK : LOW
- SCAMS RISK : LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : LOW
