Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Washington?

Seattle, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $2,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Washington, DC's $2,130, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Seattle than in Washington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $75,000 in Washington.

Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Washington?

Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax); Washington under District of Columbia's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Seattle vs Washington Cost of Living 2026

Seattle

Washington

$2,020/mo est.

Washington

District of Columbia

$2,130/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,020 in Seattle, WA versus $2,130 in Washington, DC. Overall, Seattle, WA is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Washington, DC, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $121,984 in Seattle, WA and $106,287 in Washington, DC — about 13% higher in Seattle, WA. Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax; District of Columbia has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Seattle, WA

Washington, DC

Rent

Studio

$1,638

$1,763

+8% in Washington, DC

1 Bedroom

$1,858

$1,885

+1% in Washington, DC

2 Bedroom

$2,359

$1,949

+17% in Seattle, WA

3 Bedroom

$2,918

$2,249

+23% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$912,100

$724,600

+21% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$121,984

$106,287

+13% in Seattle, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$72,610

$71,060

+2% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.5 yr

34.9 yr

+0.6 yr in Seattle, WA

Homeownership

44.2%

41.1%

+3.1 pp in Seattle, WA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

67.5%

63.6%

+3.9 pp in Seattle, WA

Avg Commute

26.6 min

30.3 min

+3.7 min in Washington, DC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

787.3

936

+19% in Washington, DC

Property Crime

5,107.9

3,627.1

+29% in Seattle, WA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

53.5°F

58.2°F

+4.7°F in Washington, DC

Annual Precipitation

37.7 in

39.7 in

+2.0 in in Washington, DC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.77/gal

$4.30/gal

+25% in Seattle, WA

Area: Seattle vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

$2.00

+27% in Seattle, WA

Adult base one-way fare — King County Metro vs WMATA (Metrobus) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.4

25.0

+74% in Washington, DC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.32

$18.01

+4% in Washington, DC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Seattle, WA

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Seattle, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Seattle, WA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Seattle, WA

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Seattle, WA

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Seattle, WA

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WA / DC)

6.5%

+0.5 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in DC

Seattle vs Washington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Washington?: Seattle, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $2,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Washington, DC's $2,130, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Seattle than in Washington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $75,000 in Washington.
Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Washington?: Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax); Washington under District of Columbia's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).