Pay and tax
Seattle, WA Cost of Living Calculator
Prices in the Seattle, WA area are 11.1% above the US average, and housing 51.3% above (BEA, 2024). Compare a salary here with anywhere else.
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Seattle, WA price levels by category (US average = 100)
| Category | Price level | Against the US |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 111.1 | 11.1% above |
| Housing | 151.3 | 51.3% above |
| Goods | 104.0 | 4.0% above |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 7.2% below |
| Other services | 106.8 | 6.8% above |
What $75,000 in Seattle, WA equals in other large metros
| Metro area | Equivalent salary | Prices |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $76,013 | 1.4% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $76,688 | 2.3% |
| Chicago, IL | $69,937 | −6.8% |
| Dallas, TX | $69,599 | −7.2% |
| Houston, TX | $66,562 | −11.3% |
| Washington, DC | $73,515 | −2.0% |
| Philadelphia, PA | $69,262 | −7.7% |
| Atlanta, GA | $67,574 | −9.9% |
| Miami, FL | $77,093 | 2.8% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $69,734 | −7.0% |
How this calculator works
BEA regional price parities for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, 2024: the price of the same basket of goods and services against the US average (100). Equivalent salaries scale by the ratio of the two areas' price levels.
Questions people ask
Is Seattle expensive to live in?
Overall prices are 11.1% above the US average; housing is 51.3% above.
What salary do I need in Seattle, WA?
To match $75,000 in an average-cost place, about $83,325. The area's median household income is $115,177.
How much is rent in Seattle, WA?
The median gross rent (including utilities) is $2,000 a month (Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
How does Seattle, WA compare with New York?
New York prices are 1.4% relative to Seattle, WA: $75,000 here equals $76,013 there.
Nearby and large metro areas
Related calculators
Sources
- BEA: Regional price parities by metro area, 2024
- US Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (median rent B25064, income B19013)
Updated by the RateHerald team. The maths is tested against worked examples; report a problem.