| Index | Monroe | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 137 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 109 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 202 | 138 | 100 |
| Transportation | 111 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 112 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 106 | 112 | 100 |
| Household Items | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 115 | 117 | 100 |
The cost of living in Monroe affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Monroe is 137, which is 37% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Monroe may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Monroe falls within this bracket.
When it comes to the cost of living in Monroe, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 102.1% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 6 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Monroe. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 17% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 83% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Monroe an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Monroe, the median home price is 116.3% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 68.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Monroe come in at $129,989, which is 59.8% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Monroe, the groceries index registers 7% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Monroe comes in at 11.8% higher than the national average.
The Monroe cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
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| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
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| Utilities index | |
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| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $147,016 | $12,251 | $3,430 | $4,411 |
| Renters | $101,147 | $8,429 | $2,360 | $3,035 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Washington | 6.5% | 10.4% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Washington | 0% | 0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| May Creek, WA | 786 | 108 | 7.7% |
| Gold Bar, WA | 2,068 | 114 | 14.4% |
| Startup, WA | 786 | 116 | 16.4% |
| Sultan, WA | 5,505 | 122 | 21.8% |
| North Sultan, WA | 271 | 131 | 30.9% |
| Monroe, WA | 20,065 | 137 | 37.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Pinole, CA | 20,062 | 164 | 64.3% |
| Lynbrook, NY | 20,075 | 150 | 49.6% |
| Durango, CO | 20,083 | 137 | 36.7% |
| Foley, AL | 20,043 | 102 | 2.4% |
| Englewood, FL | 20,036 | 107 | 6.8% |
| Monroe, WA | 20,065 | 137 | 37.2% |
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