Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would need to be about $35,785 in Luzerne County, PA, or $14,215 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Montgomery County, PA vs Luzerne County, PA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Luzerne County, PA is cheaper than Montgomery County, PA.
Moving to Luzerne County, PA is estimated to save $17,028 per year.
Cheaper County
Luzerne County, PASave about $17,028 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Montgomery County, PA is about $35,785 in Luzerne County, PA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $1,199 per year. Housing saves $9,363 per year.
Housing: $9,363 lower in Luzerne County, PA
Taxes: $4,386 lower in Luzerne County, PA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $1,199 higher in Luzerne County, PA
Food: $727 lower in Luzerne County, PA
Transport: $618 lower in Luzerne County, PA
Montgomery County, PA→Luzerne County, PA
Equivalent salary in Luzerne County, PA
$35,785
-28.43% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Montgomery County, PA: $140,263
Median Income in Luzerne County, PA: $80,310
Living Index in Montgomery County, PA 42.69%
Living Index in Luzerne County, PA 53.36%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Montgomery County, PA to Luzerne 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 Luzerne County, PA is estimated to save $17,028 per year. A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would have similar purchasing power to about $35,785 in Luzerne County, PA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -28.43% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $9,363 per year lower (-50.14%); Taxes is $4,386 per year lower (-35.81%).
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 Luzerne 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 53.4% in Luzerne County, PA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,363 per year lower in Luzerne 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 Luzerne County, PA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $727 per year lower in Luzerne County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Luzerne County, PA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $618 per year lower in Luzerne 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 Luzerne County, PA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $1,199 per year higher in Luzerne County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Luzerne County, PA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,132 per year lower in Luzerne County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Luzerne 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 Luzerne County, PA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Luzerne County, PA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $4,386 per year lower in Luzerne County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Luzerne 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 Luzerne County, PA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Luzerne County, PA
Annual Increase:
$1,199 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Luzerne County, PA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Luzerne County, PA
Annual Savings:
$9,363 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Luzerne County, PA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -50% lower | |
| Food | -15% lower | |
| Transport | -5% lower | |
| Healthcare | 31% higher | |
| Other Costs | -43% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -36% lower |
In Luzerne County, PA, modeled annual costs are $42,857 compared with $59,885 in Montgomery County, PA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Luzerne County, PA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Luzerne County, PA and Montgomery County, PA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
