| Index | Seattle | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 179 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 108 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 113 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 326 | 138 | 100 |
| Transportation | 123 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 111 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 123 | 112 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 107 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 133 | 117 | 100 |
The cost of living in Seattle 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 Seattle is 179, which is 79% 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 prioritize affordability when seeking a new place to live, Seattle may not be your ideal choice, as it ranks among the most expensive locations in the entire United States. A very small amount of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Seattle falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Seattle, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 225.6% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Recurring household expenses such as cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, toiletries, and kitchen basics are a steady part of monthly spending and make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Seattle, these everyday items will cost you 11.8% more than average, making it a slightly more expensive place to call home.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 45 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Seattle. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 4% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 96% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Seattle 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 Seattle, the median home price is 287.5% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 81.2% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Seattle come in at $146,828, which is 80.5% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In Seattle, the groceries index is 8.3% higher than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Seattle, healthcare costs are 12.7% higher than the national average.
Housing: High demand for housing in desirable locations can drive up property prices and rental rates. This can be a primary contributor to a higher cost of living. While low demand for housing, especially in undesirable locations, can have the reverse effect and drive prices down, resulting in a lower cost of living. The housing index in Seattle, is 225.6% higher than the national average.
The Seattle 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.
| 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 | $208,078 | $17,340 | $4,855 | $6,243 |
| Renters | $105,586 | $8,799 | $2,464 | $3,168 |
| 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. |
| Navy Yard City, WA | 3,049 | 110 | 10.0% |
| Fairwood CDP (Spokane County), WA | 8,331 | 113 | 13.4% |
| East Port Orchard, WA | 5,187 | 118 | 17.8% |
| Bremerton, WA | 42,880 | 119 | 18.8% |
| Enetai, WA | 2,067 | 120 | 19.9% |
| Seattle, WA | 765,050 | 179 | 79.4% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Mississauga, ON | 764,342 | n/a | |
| Winnipeg, MB | 775,440 | n/a | |
| Denver, CO | 739,923 | 140 | 40.2% |
| Brampton, ON | 735,754 | n/a | |
| Washington, DC | 721,713 | 181 | 81.4% |
| Seattle, WA | 765,050 | 179 | 79.4% |
Here are the best places to live in Washington
See the best places to live in Seattle
Safest States In The US
These are the 10 cheapest cities in Washington