| Index | Tukwila | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 126 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 106 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 107 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 162 | 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 |
Knowing the cost of living in Tukwila allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Tukwila stands at 126, marking it 26% higher than the national average.
If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Tukwila is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Tukwila falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Tukwila, 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 62.1% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Tukwila an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Tukwila is 71.1% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 41.1% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Tukwila has a median household income of $93,571, which is 15% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Tukwila, the groceries index is 6% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some cities and states may extend government subsidies or aid programs aimed at reducing the cost of living for their residents. These initiatives encompass diverse forms of support, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Regions with limited subsidy provisions may witness an increase in their overall cost of living.
Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.
The Tukwila 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 | $126,338 | $10,528 | $2,948 | $3,791 |
| Renters | $81,202 | $6,767 | $1,895 | $2,436 |
| 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% |
| Algona, WA | 3,277 | 124 | 23.8% |
| Pacific, WA | 7,286 | 126 | 25.7% |
| Manchester, WA | 6,249 | 128 | 28.1% |
| SeaTac, WA | 30,186 | 129 | 29.0% |
| Tukwila, WA | 20,710 | 126 | 25.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Fort Mill, SC | 20,703 | 115 | 15.1% |
| Rio Rico, AZ | 20,721 | 97 | 2.8% |
| Shelby, NC | 20,722 | 90 | 9.6% |
| South St. Paul, MN | 20,723 | 102 | 2.0% |
| Charleston, IL | 20,693 | 87 | 13.0% |
| Tukwila, WA | 20,710 | 126 | 25.7% |
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