Cost of Living in Washington

The cost of living in Washington is 16% higher than the national average
Cost of Living in Washington Compared to National Average
Housing (Buy and Rent) 28% higher
Utilities (Monthly) 8% lower
Food 11% higher
Healthcare 19% higher
Transportation 19% higher
Goods & Services 14% higher
Summary

The cost of living in Washington is 16% higher than the national average. Housing is 28% higher than the national average, while utilities are 8% lower. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 11% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 14% higher.

Healthcare services such as doctor check-ups and dentistry cost 19% higher in Washington compared to the national average. At the same time, non-necessary expenses such as entertainment and grooming services are 14% higher.

The Cost of Living in Washington Largest Cities Compared to the National Average

This is how much pricier or cheaper it is to live in Washington’s 12 largest cities compared to the national average.
The cost of living in Washington varies depending on the city you live in. The priciest city in Washington is Seattle, where the cost of living is 28% higher compared to the state average and 49% higher than in the rest of the U.S. The cheapest major city in Washington is Yakima, with a cost of living 15% lower below the state average and 2% lower than the national average.
City, State Compared to State Average Compared to National Average
Seattle, WA 28% higher 49% higher
Everett, WA 9% higher 26% higher
Bremerton, WA 5% higher 22% higher
Tacoma, WA 5% higher 22% higher
Bellingham, WA 4% higher 20% higher
Kent, WA 4% higher 20% higher
Olympia, WA 2% lower 14% higher
Vancouver, WA 11% lower 4% higher
Moses Lake, WA 11% lower 3% higher
Spokane, WA 12% lower 3% higher
Wenatchee, WA 12% lower 2% higher
Kennewick, WA 15% lower 1% lower
Yakima, WA 15% lower 2% lower
What is a cost of living calculator?

The cost of living calculator tells you how much money you need to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. The cost of living comparison is based on your income and the price of basic necessities such as housing, transportation or food in the two cities you selected. Use the calculator to find out what income you will need in a new city and how much more or less you’ll need to budget for basic expenses.

Where does the data come from?

Consumer goods, services and home prices are sourced from The Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
The data on this page is updated bi-annually and it was last published in September 2025.

Average rent data is our in-house proprietary data from Yardi Matrix, where available. For the remaining locations, C2ER rent data was used. Yardi Matrix is a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc.

Household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates.

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