Living Here

Living in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a great place for students, many of whom come to Pittsburgh and decide to settle here because of the unique features that make the city and the region a great place to call home.

Minimize Cost of Living

Students often choose Pittsburgh not only because of the great quality of life, but also for the lower-than-average cost of living.

  • According to SmartAsset's 2019 cost-of-living analysis, "The Steel City is known for its industrial history and its scrappy charm. Pittsburgh has also become popular due to its affordability for young creatives priced out of other cities." 
  • Forbes online has rated Pittsburgh among the top 15 on their list of “America's Most Affordable Cities” based on cost of living, real estate values, unemployment rate, and median income.  
  • Calculate your own savings in choosing Pittsburgh, using this online cost-of-living calculator from BestPlaces.net.

Calculate your savings

Median Monthly Rent:  Pittsburgh vs. other major U.S. Cities

RENT
(median monthly)

Studio

1-Bedroom

2-Bedroom

3-Bedroom

Pittsburgh

$628

$727

$910

$1,139

Boston

$1,486

$1,696

$2,103

$2,642

New York City

$1,889

$2,098

$2,499

$3,222

Washington, D.C.

$1,275

$1.339

$1,546

$2,039

Source Apartment List (March 2019) / smartasset.com

 Cost of Living Comparison

If you move to Pittsburgh from one of these cities, you would have these the changes of your cost of living.

If you move from:

Pittsbugh’s Cost is

San Francisco, CA

-65.7%

Washington, DC

-62.8%

Miami, FL

-17.9%

Chicago, IL

-19.9%

Boston, MA

-42.7%

New York, NY

-86.2%

Dallas, TX

-4.9%

Source:  Salary.com

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