Seattle, WA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Seattle, WA Summary
Cost of living in Seattle research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Seattle is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Seattle is 157, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Seattle is 1.6x higher than the national average.
Seattle ranks as the #179 cheapest in Washington out of 192.
Seattle ranks as the #5,961 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Seattle is $767,500.
The median income in Seattle is $105,391.
Table Of Contents
Seattle's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Seattle, WA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Seattle has an overall cost of living index of 157, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Washington, Seattle has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Washington's index of 115.
The standard of living in Seattle ranks as #179 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Seattle ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.
For more reading on life in Seattle, check out:
- Living In Seattle
- Seattle Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In Seattle, WA
In Washington
In America
Seattle Cost Of Living Vs. Washington
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Seattle. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Seattle is 127.
The Groceries index in Seattle is 130.
The Health index in Seattle is 126.
The Housing index in Seattle is 224.
The Transportation index in Seattle is 141.
The Utilities index in Seattle is 108.
| Living Expense | Seattle | Washington | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 157 | 115 | 100 | |
| Services | 127 | 112 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 130 | 109 | 100 | |
| Health | 126 | 119 | 100 | |
| Housing | 224 | 129 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 141 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 90 | 100 | |
Seattle, WA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Seattle is $767,500.
The Median Rent in Seattle is $1,801.
The Median Income in Seattle is $105,391.
The Home Value To Income in Seattle is 7.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Seattle is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Seattle | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $767,500 | $397,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $1,801 | $1,439 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $105,391 | $82,400 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.3x | 4.8x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.21x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Seattle, WA Costs By Category
Detailed Seattle Services Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.13 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $14.7 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $21.8 | $14.67 |
| Haircut | $39.33 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $50.33 | $39.05 |
Detailed Seattle Groceries Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.74 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.15 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.5 | $2.05 |
| Potatoes | $3.5 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $13.12 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $10.49 | $9.38 |
| Toothpaste | $3.44 | $2.34 |
Detailed Seattle Health Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.73 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $136.39 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $143.77 | $99.13 |
Detailed Seattle Transportation Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.19 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $66.49 | $50.07 |
Detailed Seattle Utilities Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $186.95 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $194.23 | $175.64 |
Seattle SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Seattle
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Seattle. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Kent, WA has a cost of living index of 130, 0.8x Seattle.
Kirkland, WA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.0x Seattle.
Bremerton, WA has a cost of living index of 120, 0.8x Seattle.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent, WA | 134,890 | 130 | 0.8x |
| Kirkland, WA | 91,656 | 158 | 1.0x |
| Bremerton, WA | 43,345 | 120 | 0.8x |
| SeaTac, WA | 30,867 | 126 | 0.8x |
| Mercer Island, WA | 25,506 | 216 | 1.4x |
| Bainbridge Island, WA | 24,557 | 165 | 1.1x |
| Tukwila, WA | 21,545 | 125 | 0.8x |
| Silverdale, WA | 21,301 | 129 | 0.8x |
| White Center, WA | 15,716 | 129 | 0.8x |
| Port Orchard, WA | 15,315 | 130 | 0.8x |
