| Index | SeaTac | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 129 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 106 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 107 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 173 | 138 | 100 |
| Transportation | 114 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 109 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 109 | 112 | 100 |
| Household Items | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 121 | 117 | 100 |
Understanding the cost of living in SeaTac can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The SeaTac cost of living index is 129, which is 29% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.
If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, SeaTac may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, SeaTac falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.
Housing costs are a major factor in the SeaTac cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 73.3% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Is SeaTac 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 SeaTac, the median home price is 86.1% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 43.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in SeaTac come in at $96,581, which is 18.7% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In SeaTac, the groceries index is 6% higher than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In SeaTac, the healthcare costs are 6.5% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
The SeaTac cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $128,286 | $10,691 | $2,993 | $3,849 |
| Renters | $78,402 | $6,534 | $1,829 | $2,352 |
| 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. |
| Fairwood CDP (Spokane County), WA | 8,331 | 113 | 13.4% |
| East Port Orchard, WA | 5,187 | 118 | 17.8% |
| Enetai, WA | 2,067 | 120 | 19.9% |
| Purdy, WA | 1,574 | 120 | 20.1% |
| Bethel, WA | 4,328 | 121 | 21.5% |
| SeaTac, WA | 30,186 | 129 | 29.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Maryville, TN | 30,172 | 100 | 0.4% |
| Raytown, MO | 30,162 | 89 | 11.3% |
| O'Fallon, IL | 30,151 | 106 | 5.8% |
| Southgate, MI | 30,149 | 92 | 8.3% |
| Oak Park, MI | 30,129 | 94 | 5.9% |
| SeaTac, WA | 30,186 | 129 | 29.0% |
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