Are you considering a move to the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington? There are many wonderful reasons to choose the Pacific Northwest as your home. The open-minded and free state that offers a variety of fun and attraction has many appeals. Add on some amazing jobs with Microsoft and Amazon headquarters located in the metropolitan area. However, when choosing Seattle as your home, you have to take in the cost of living too.
The cost of living in the state of Washington is slightly over the national average. But the emerald city is even higher than that. Seattle comes in as one of the most expensive cities to live in. Though because of the great paying jobs, it still makes it some of the most affordable expensive cities.
Seattle is ranked the 5th most expensive city.
Check out the breakdown of to cost of living in Seattle compared with the rest of the state. This scale is based on a U.S. average of 100.
Overall Cost of Living
| Cost of Living | Seattle | Washington | Spokane |
United States |
|
Overall |
172.3 | 118.7 | 92.3 |
100 |
|
Grocery |
108.7 | 101.1 | 98.8 |
100 |
| Health | 85.2 | 83.8 | 83.1 |
100 |
|
Housing |
309 | 164.9 | 94.2 |
100 |
|
Utilities |
68.8 | 74 | 78.2 |
100 |
|
Transportation |
137.5 | 113.6 | 91.1 |
100 |
| Miscellaneous | 120.1 | 99.4 | 97.9 |
100 |
Housing
Average Monthly Rent by Bedroom Size
|
|
Seattle | Washington | Spokane |
United States |
|
Studio |
$1570 | $1011 | $575 |
$821 |
|
1 Bedroom |
$1728 | $1127 | $678 |
$930 |
| 2 Bedroom | $2108 | $1401 | $897 |
$1148 |
Median Home Prices
| Seattle | Washington | Spokane |
United States |
|
|
Home price |
$714,400 | $381,300 | $217,900 |
$231,200 |
|
Monthly mortgage + interest for a 30-year loan |
$1,897 | $1,556 | $934 |
$1,275 |
Transportation
|
|
Seattle | Washington | Spokane |
United States |
|
Gas (per gallon) |
$3.70 | $3.56 | $3.13 |
$3.07 |
|
Monthly public transit pass |
$153* | N/A | $60* |
$69.83 |
* These numbers are actual numbers of public transit fees in each city.
Food
|
|
Seattle | Spokane | United States |
| Bread | $3.04 | $2.26 |
$2.50 |
|
Rice per pound |
$2.08 | $1.70 |
$1.00 |
|
Dozen eggs |
$2.94 | $2.03 |
$2.00 |
|
Gallon of milk |
$3.57 | $2.94 |
$3.50 |
| 12 oz bottle of water | $2.04 | $1.29 |
$1.50 |
|
Domestic Beer |
$6.50 | $5.00 |
$5.79 |
|
Inexpensive Restaurant meal |
$17.00 | $15.00 |
$18 |
|
McMeal at McDonald’s |
$10.00 | $8.00 |
$6.69 |
| Cappuccino | $4.83 | $4.42 |
$2.75 |
Entertainment
|
Seattle |
Spokane |
United States |
|
|
Movie ticket |
$13.50 | $11.50 |
$9.16 |
|
Bowling game |
$5.00 | $4.00 |
$4.50 |
|
NFL Game |
$133 | N/A |
$102.35 |
|
MLB Game |
$80 | N/A |
$34.04 |
Health
|
|
Seattle |
United States |
|
Cost of a doctor’s visit |
$130 |
$298 |
| Cost of a dentist’s visit | $127 |
$288 |
| The monthly cost of health insurance | $420 |
$495 |
Because the cost of living in Seattle is some of the highest in the country, it can be a bit daunting to want to move to this amazing city. Even with the high-paying jobs. But let us know in the comments your experiences with the high cost of living in Seattle and what keeps you living in the area.
If you are looking for a new place to live, or are interested in moving to this wonderful city, find your next dream apartment here. And while you’re on your search for a stellar place to live, be sure to check out our post on the best Farmer’s Markets around the Seattle area.