Cost of Living in Seattle, Washington
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Seattle, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 784,777
- Median household income
- $118,745
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 111.1
- Unemployment rate
- 5.2%
Is Seattle a good place to live?
Seattle is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 151 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Seattle keeps $11,674 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living11% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$2,399 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- TaxesNo state income tax on wages
Cost of living in Seattle
Prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area run 11% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 51% above the US average.
- Housing51% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)4% above the US average
- Utilities7% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)7% above the US average
- All items11% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $2,399 | $28,788 |
| Food | $513 | $6,156 |
| Transportation | $406 | $4,872 |
| Healthcare | $376 | $4,512 |
| Utilities | $242 | $2,904 |
| Total before taxes | $3,936 | $47,232 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Seattle | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,302 | $2,091 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,399 | $2,180 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,806 | $2,549 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,657 | $3,324 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,352 | $3,954 |
Living in Seattle
How Seattle compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Seattle | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $118,745 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $950,800 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $2,007 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 58.1% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 9.4% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 70.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 35.4 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 25.9 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 24.4% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 15% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Seattle, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Quantum Fiber, AT&T. Fiber reaches 77.1% of homes and 95.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Seattle
Pros and cons of living in Seattle
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $11,674 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 151 of 178 large cities.
- No state income tax. Washington doesn't tax wages, so more of each paycheck stays with you.
- Higher incomes. Median household income is $118,745, against $81,604 nationally.
- Usable public transit. 15% of commuters take public transit, against 3.7% nationally.
Cons
- Expensive rent. Median rent is $2,007 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $950,800, against $360,600 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 11% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in Seattle
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $72,610
- Federal income tax
- −$7,144
- Payroll taxes
- −$6,562
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$28,788
- Everyday costs
- −$18,442
a year, or $973 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $167,280 | $76,052 |
| Project manager | $130,380 | $51,342 |
| Registered nurse | $128,260 | $49,923 |
| Teacher | $102,781 | $32,481 |
| Accountant | $99,370 | $30,129 |
| Social worker | $78,245 | $15,560 |
| Carpenter | $76,410 | $14,295 |
| Truck driver | $71,240 | $10,729 |
| Medical assistant | $61,500 | $3,512 |
| Nursing assistant | $51,990 | −$3,997 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Seattle on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $1,767
- Civil engineer $41,928
- Data scientist $74,350
- Dental assistant $3,938
- Dental hygienist $53,592
- Dentist $72,027
- Diesel mechanic $18,377
- Electrician $31,790
- Financial analyst $47,599
- Firefighter $31,314
- HVAC technician $16,839
- Lawyer $74,511
- Licensed practical nurse $20,694
- Lineman $53,867
- Mechanical engineer $48,804
- Nurse practitioner $68,565
- Occupational therapist $37,363
- Paralegal $25,666
- Paramedic $46,608
- Pharmacist $73,098
- Pharmacy technician $3,370
- Physical therapist $35,590
- Physician assistant $76,058
- Plumber $27,273
- Police officer $40,990
- Radiologic technologist $34,149
- Respiratory therapist $33,473
- Speech-language pathologist $36,556
- Veterinarian $73,728
- Welder $7,255
Compare Seattle with other cities
Compare Seattle with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Seattle
9 licensed interstate movers are based in Seattle, and 77 more elsewhere in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Seattle, WA a good place to live?
Seattle is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 151 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $72,610 and keeps $11,674 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Seattle?
Prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area are 11% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $2,399 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,537 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Seattle?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $57,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area earns $72,610.
What is the average rent in Seattle?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $2,302 for a studio, $2,399 for a 1-bedroom and $2,806 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Seattle at $2,007 a month (2024).
Does Seattle have a state or city income tax?
Washington has no state income tax on wages. Seattle has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Seattle?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Seattle, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Quantum Fiber, AT&T. 77.1% of homes can get fiber and 95.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate