Cost of Living in Washington
Updated November 2026 · population 7,816,116
Washington prices are 7.0% above the US average (index 107.0), ranking 6th most expensive of 51 states and DC; housing is the biggest cost driver at 126.0, and a single adult's modelled budget at state-average prices is about $3,206 a month.
Prices by category
Washington price index by category, US average = 100: All items 107.0, Housing (rents) 126.0, Goods 104.4, Utilities 92.9, Other services 103.9
| Area | All items |
|---|---|
| Washington (whole state) | 107.0 |
| Metropolitan areas of Washington | 107.9 |
| Nonmetropolitan areas of Washington | 97.4 |
Cities in Washington
Select a column heading to sort.
| Seattle | 754,195 | 113.4 | $3,582 | $7,093 | $2,030 | $938,600 |
| Spokane | 230,293 | 100.2 | $2,573 | $5,379 | $1,215 | $363,500 |
| Tacoma | 222,758 | 108.7 | $3,058 | $6,146 | $1,676 | $479,600 |
| Vancouver | 195,300 | 105.9 | $3,157 | $6,009 | $1,702 | $462,400 |
| Bellevue | 151,847 | 120.7 | $4,022 | $7,294 | $2,572 | $1,340,300 |
| Kent | 135,603 | 111.8 | $3,332 | $6,254 | $1,909 | $587,800 |
| Everett | 111,845 | 109.6 | $3,247 | $6,213 | $1,740 | $565,300 |
| Spokane Valley | 106,365 | 102.1 | $2,743 | $5,557 | $1,353 | $382,300 |
| Renton | 105,317 | 113.0 | $3,438 | $6,720 | $1,998 | $672,600 |
| Federal Way | 99,493 | 110.3 | $3,146 | $6,370 | $1,797 | $552,800 |
| Yakima | 96,961 | 96.2 | $2,397 | $5,218 | $1,117 | $297,600 |
| Bellingham | 93,438 | 104.2 | $2,975 | $6,049 | $1,577 | $627,500 |
| Kirkland | 92,621 | 118.4 | $3,837 | $7,260 | $2,401 | $1,115,400 |
| Auburn | 85,676 | 110.2 | $3,256 | $6,247 | $1,786 | $547,900 |
| Kennewick | 85,295 | 99.8 | $2,662 | $5,431 | $1,240 | $370,700 |
| Pasco | 79,575 | 99.7 | $2,532 | $5,548 | $1,227 | $376,300 |
| Redmond | 77,353 | 118.5 | $3,919 | $7,404 | $2,409 | $1,167,800 |
| Marysville | 73,002 | 113.0 | $3,033 | $6,252 | $1,997 | $567,900 |
| South Hill | 68,025 | 114.2 | $3,258 | $6,295 | $2,088 | $543,600 |
| Sammamish | 66,463 | 124.5 | $3,925 | $7,266 | $2,857 | $1,407,300 |
| Lakewood | 62,937 | 106.7 | $2,941 | $6,235 | $1,525 | $461,200 |
| Richland | 62,753 | 102.9 | $2,802 | $5,669 | $1,468 | $436,700 |
| Shoreline | 61,431 | 112.8 | $3,287 | $6,615 | $1,985 | $811,100 |
| Lacey | 57,737 | 106.7 | $3,314 | $6,132 | $1,870 | $457,100 |
| Olympia | 55,951 | 103.3 | $2,964 | $5,928 | $1,599 | $486,200 |
| Burien | 51,513 | 110.1 | $3,151 | $6,560 | $1,782 | $638,800 |
| Bothell | 49,610 | 117.7 | $3,758 | $7,158 | $2,346 | $925,100 |
| Bremerton | 44,830 | 104.3 | $2,949 | $5,984 | $1,641 | $439,400 |
| Walla Walla | 33,925 | 100.1 | $2,471 | $5,470 | $1,323 | $393,600 |
| Port Orchard | 17,149 | 106.3 | $3,383 | $6,217 | $1,797 | $539,700 |
| Port Townsend | 10,438 | 103.2 | $2,967 | $5,649 | $1,578 | $543,400 |
| Forks | 3,400 | 94.9 | $2,348 | $4,802 | $921 | $227,200 |
Metro areas in Washington
| Metro area | All items | Housing |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 111.1 | 151.3 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 105.6 | 129.6 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 105.4 | 125.1 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 103.9 | 115.0 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 103.7 | 116.7 |
| Bellingham, WA | 103.3 | 112.9 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 102.4 | 108.2 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 100.3 | 97.1 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 100.1 | 94.8 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 98.5 | 86.6 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 97.5 | 82.5 |
| Yakima, WA | 95.5 | 72.6 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 91.2 | 71.9 |
BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 for metropolitan statistical areas that include part of Washington.
Modelled monthly budget at Washington average prices
1 adult · 1-bedroom · modelled estimate for Washington (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,439 | $17,268 | 45% |
| Utilities | $238 | $2,856 | 7% |
| Food at home | $294 | $3,528 | 9% |
| Transportation | $696 | $8,352 | 22% |
| Health care | $365 | $4,380 | 11% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $174 | $2,088 | 5% |
| Total | $3,206 | $38,472 | 100% |
2 adults · 2-bedroom · modelled estimate for Washington (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,611 | $19,332 | 33% |
| Utilities | $378 | $4,536 | 8% |
| Food at home | $543 | $6,516 | 11% |
| Transportation | $1,376 | $16,512 | 28% |
| Health care | $677 | $8,124 | 14% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $344 | $4,128 | 7% |
| Total | $4,929 | $59,148 | 100% |
2 adults + 2 children · 3-bedroom · modelled estimate for Washington (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,888 | $22,656 | 31% |
| Utilities | $461 | $5,532 | 8% |
| Food at home | $775 | $9,300 | 13% |
| Transportation | $1,835 | $22,020 | 30% |
| Health care | $631 | $7,572 | 10% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $443 | $5,316 | 7% |
| Total | $6,033 | $72,396 | 100% |
state figures Rents are Census ACS state medians by bedrooms. See the methodology.
Electricity and gas and inflation
Residential electricity
14.63¢/kWh, August 2026
12-month change +7.2% · US 18.16¢
Regular gasoline
$5.09/gal, week of 2026-11-02
12-month change +22.1% · US $4.15
Consumer prices in the West region rose +3.4% over the 12 months to September 2026 (US +3.7%; BLS CPI-U).
Price level history
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 108.0 | 107.9 | 108.8 | 110.0 | 108.4 | 107.0 |
Change over the period: −1.0 points. Each year is measured relative to that year's US average.
Frequently asked questions
Is Washington an expensive state to live in?
Washington has a cost of living index of 107.0 (US = 100), 7.0% above the US average. It ranks 6th of 51 (1 = most expensive). Housing is 126.0 (rank 6), goods 104.4, utilities 92.9 and other services 103.9. Source: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
How much does it cost to live in Washington?
At Washington state-average prices, our modelled monthly budget is $3,206 for a single adult, $4,929 for a couple and $6,033 for a family of four, before taxes and child care. Costs vary widely within the state: metro areas average 107.9 and nonmetro areas 97.4.
What is the median rent and home value in Washington?
The median gross rent in Washington is $1,760 a month and the median home value is $564,600 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The typical renter spends 30.0% of income on rent.
Sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 (state, state metro and nonmetro portions, MSAs).
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, state 53.
- EIA-861M residential electricity (August 2026); EIA weekly retail gasoline (Washington, 2026-11-02).
- BLS CPI-U, West region (September 2026).
Budgets are modelled estimates, not observed spending. Not financial advice. Methodology