Cost of Living in Washington

(Last Updated – November 11,2024)

Washington state has the seventh highest cost of living in the United States, according to data from MERIC, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. That’s behind Hawaii, California, and New York, but ahead of states like New Jersey and Oregon.

If you’re wondering exactly how much it’s going to cost to live in Washington, we’ve put together the most accurate, comprehensive guide possible, all backed up by data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Zillow, and other recent sources of data. By the end of this article, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the cost of living in Washington state.

What’s the Average Cost of Living in Washington?

The average cost of living in Washington per person is $60,528 according to 2023 data compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The relatively high cost of living in Washington vs. the cost of living in the U.S. as a whole is largely due to the price of housing, which can be quite high in the areas surrounding Seattle, but also due to costly transportation and health care expenses. MERIC data shows that most other cost of living expenses will be close to the national average (some, like utilities, are even lower).

When the $60,528 is broken down by category, you can see the average cost of living in Washington state for housing, utilities, health care, groceries, transportation, and all other personal expenditures. We’ve included numbers per person and for a family of four.

Housing Costs in Washington

Average Housing Costs in Washington: $1,731 (rent) to $2,396 (mortgage)

Washington state has over 3.2 million housing units. The median monthly rent sits at $1,731, while the average mortgage payment is $2,396. If you’re buying your first home in the state, there are down payment assistance programs available and other resources for novice buyers. Remember that you can usually qualify as a first-time homebuyer if you have not owned a primary residence in the last three years.

If you’re looking for housing in Washington, this is typically what you’ll find, according to the United States Census Bureau:

•  Median monthly mortgage cost: $2,396

•  Studio rent: $1,442

•  1-bedroom rent: $1,533

•  2-bedroom rent: $1,752

•  3-bedroom rent: $2,002

•  4-bedroom rent: $2,401

•   5-bedrooms or more rent: $2,499

•  Median gross rent: $1,731

Keep in mind the less expensive areas of the state are factored into the median rent and mortgage numbers. If you’re looking at high-cost areas, you can expect to pay much more and you may need a jumbo loan.

With that in mind, it’s helpful to see what homes are worth across the state, so that you’ll have some numbers in mind when you begin to look for a home loan and go through the mortgage preapproval process. Here are 10 cities in Washington and their average homes values as of August 31, 2024.

Utility Costs in Washington

Average Utility Costs in Washington: $346 per month

Though housing costs in Washington can take a large chunk of your budget, you’ll see utility costs close to the national average, if not a little better. Electricity, for example, comes in at an average monthly cost of $107, which is lower than California and similar to Oregon.

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, 2021; Inspirecleanenergy.com; DoxoInsights, U.S. Cable & Internet Market Size and Household Spending Report 2022; and Rentcafe.com, What Is the Average Water Bill?

Groceries & Food

Average Grocery & Food Costs in Washington: $4543 per year

Groceries are some of the more expensive items you’ll find in Washington. You can expect to pay more for your groceries in Washington state than you would in many other states.

According to data from the BEA, the per-capita expenditure is $4,543 per year, or $379 per month.

The following is a grocery index for the major metro areas in Washington state. An index score of 100 indicates a national average, so it’s pretty clear that groceries are more expensive in every city in Washington when compared with the rest of the United States.

Transportation

Average Transportation Costs in Washington: $828 to $1,387 per month

Transportation expenses in Washington state are on the high side, as noted above, but how much you spend also depends on your family size and lifestyle. Washington residents can expect to pay the following costs for transportation, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator .

Health Care in Washington

Average cost of health care in Washington: $9,013 per year

Healthcare seems expensive everywhere, and Washington state is no different. The average annual per capita cost of healthcare in Washington is $9,013, which is actually a little below the annual average of $9,130 in the United States.

Keep in mind, this number is for the entire year, and is for one person.

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Child Care in Washington

Average Child Care Costs in Washington: $1,034 to $1,710 per child

If you have little ones still in need of full-time care, you’ll want to know what to expect when it comes to child care in Washington state. Keep in mind, as with other areas in the country, the older they get, the more affordable the tuition becomes.

Taxes in Washington

Average taxes in Washington: $6,069

One of the best perks about living in Washington state is there is no income tax or corporate income tax, which creates the environment for one of the lowest tax burdens in the U.S.

•  Captital gains: 7%

•  Combined state and average local sales tax: 9.38%

•  Gas tax: 52.82 cents per gallon

•  Cigarette tax: $3.025

•  Effective property tax rate: .76%

Washington also charges an estate tax and a state gross receipts tax. Between all the different taxes, Washington collects around $6,644 in taxes per capita.

Miscellaneous Costs

Average of miscellaneous costs in Washington: $34,041 per year

When it comes to all other expenses in Washington, most people spend right around $32,089, according to the BEA. That’s quite a lot, so where does it all go? There’s no shortage of cool things to do or businesses to support when you’re based in Washington. Some of these include:

•  Space Needle tickets: $29 to $46.50

•  Museum of Flight ticket: $26

•  Whale watching tour: $105

•  Mount Rainier tour: $195

•  Starbucks every morning: $4

•  Costco membership: $65

•  REI jacket: $100

•   Seattle mariners tickets: From $24

•  Holland America Cruise from Seattle to Alaska: $1,274

How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Washington?

Washington state ranks as one of the least affordable states in the nation, with housing costs mostly to blame. Although the average monthly expense for one person will depend on your lifestyle and family size, MIT’s Living Wage Calculator can help give you an idea of what they expect a living wage to be in Washington state.

For example, a family of four can expect to live reasonably comfortably on an hourly wage of $30.94 if there are two wage earners in the home. A single person with no kids needs $25.60 per hour to live comfortably, while a single parent with two kids needs $56.89 per hour to meet their needs.

Take a look at the chart below.

What City Has the Lowest Cost of Living in Washington?

Since the cost of living in Washington state is most affected by housing costs, you’ll find the lowest cost of living in Washington in cities with less expensive housing options. Of the 10 largest cities in Washington, the cities with the lowest housing costs are:

Yakima

The average home value in this sunny, central Washington city of just under 100,000 people is a relatively affordable $343,372. The cost of living index is 99.8, putting Yakima just at the edge of the average cost for Washington. Yakima has long been agricultural, with a strong apple-farming economy, especially. But there are also more than 250 manufacturing companies here, including aircraft parts makers.

Kennewick

The average home value in this Columbia River town is $432,558 and the cost of living index is 98. Kennewick is a friendly town of just over 80,000 people. Its 300 or so days of sunshine a year and mild winters have earned it the nickname, “winter paradise.”

Spokane

The state’s second-largest city has an average home value of $417,086 and a cost of living index of 101. It also has 40 acres of riverfront park, a strong beer scene and food culture, and plenty of opportunity for outdoor adventure.

Other smaller areas throughout Washington, especially in the central and eastern regions, are more likely to have lower cost of living expenses as well.

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Helpful Resources for Future Washington Residents