Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue cost of living
Prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area run at 111.1 against a national average of 100, ranking it #7 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 151.3.
What drives the number
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue is one of the most expensive places the Bureau of Economic Analysis measures, at 111.1 against a national 100, ranking #7 of 387 metro areas. Prices run 11.1 per cent above national, which is enough to swallow a substantial pay rise on its own. Against Washington as a whole it is 4.1 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is doing nearly all of the work. Rents sit at 151.3 while goods sit at 104.0, a gap of 40.2 points between what it costs to live somewhere and what it costs to buy things. Someone who could reduce their housing cost here, by living further out or with fewer rooms, would remove most of the premium. Goods at 104.0 are themselves 4 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Comparing a job here against one elsewhere on the headline salary alone will mislead by roughly 11.1 per cent. Adjusting by the parity fixes that.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 72,730 | $169,340 | $152,421 | $133,080 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 53,140 | $46,690 | $42,025 | $34,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 51,590 | $38,310 | $34,482 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 48,310 | $39,180 | $35,266 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 37,250 | $118,570 | $106,724 | $93,600 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 34,600 | $101,420 | $91,287 | $81,270 |
| General and Operations Managers | 30,890 | $141,280 | $127,165 | $102,950 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 30,370 | $51,090 | $45,986 | $42,830 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 111.1.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | 105.6 | 129.6 | #26 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 105.4 | 125.1 | #28 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | 103.9 | 115.0 | #37 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | 103.7 | 116.7 | #38 |
| Bellingham | 103.3 | 112.9 | #42 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | 102.4 | 108.2 | #53 |
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue: common questions
Is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue expensive?
Prices are 11.1% above the national average, a parity of 111.1 where the country is 100. It ranks #7 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Washington as a whole it is 4.1 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The median worker there earns $67,510, which buys what $60,765 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 151.3 against goods at 104.0. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.