Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would need to be about $34,765 in Cambria County, PA, or $15,235 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Montgomery County, PA vs Cambria County, PA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Cambria County, PA is cheaper than Montgomery County, PA.
Moving to Cambria County, PA is estimated to save $18,244 per year.
Cheaper County
Cambria County, PASave about $18,244 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Montgomery County, PA is about $34,765 in Cambria County, PA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $765 per year. Housing saves $9,686 per year.
Housing: $9,686 lower in Cambria County, PA
Taxes: $4,663 lower in Cambria County, PA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $765 higher in Cambria County, PA
Food: $796 lower in Cambria County, PA
Transport: $610 lower in Cambria County, PA
Montgomery County, PA→Cambria County, PA
Equivalent salary in Cambria County, PA
$34,765
-30.47% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Montgomery County, PA: $140,263
Median Income in Cambria County, PA: $79,651
Living Index in Montgomery County, PA 42.69%
Living Index in Cambria County, PA 52.28%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Montgomery County, PA to Cambria County, PA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Montgomery County, PA to Cambria County, PA is estimated to save $18,244 per year. A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would have similar purchasing power to about $34,765 in Cambria County, PA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -30.47% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $9,686 per year lower (-51.87%); Taxes is $4,663 per year lower (-38.07%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Montgomery County, PA and Cambria County, PA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 42.7% of median family income in Montgomery County, PA and 52.3% in Cambria County, PA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,686 per year lower in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Cambria County, PA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $796 per year lower in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Cambria County, PA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $610 per year lower in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Cambria County, PA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $765 per year higher in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Cambria County, PA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,254 per year lower in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Cambria County, PA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Montgomery County, PA and Cambria County, PA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Cambria County, PA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $4,663 per year lower in Cambria County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Cambria County, PA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Cambria County, PA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Cambria County, PA
Annual Increase:
$765 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Cambria County, PA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Cambria County, PA
Annual Savings:
$9,686 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Cambria County, PA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -52% lower | |
| Food | -16% lower | |
| Transport | -5% lower | |
| Healthcare | 20% higher | |
| Other Costs | -44% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -38% lower |
In Cambria County, PA, modeled annual costs are $41,641 compared with $59,885 in Montgomery County, PA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Cambria County, PA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Cambria County, PA and Montgomery County, PA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
