Cost of Living in Seattle, WA (2026)

Seattle's cost of living is 11% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $89,982 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Seattle has a cost-of-living index of 111 against a US average of 100 — about 11% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $89,982 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Seattle

MeasureSeattleUS average
Cost-of-living index111100
Median rent$1,998/mo-
Median home value$912,100-
Median household income$121,984-
Population741,440-

Monthly cost breakdown in Seattle

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,998$5,297
Transport$1,853$1,853
Food$1,457$1,457
Healthcare$915$915
Other$3,254$3,254
Total$9,477$12,776

Affordability in Seattle

Median rent takes about 19.7% of the median household income in Seattle — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 7.5x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Seattle

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$169,500$152,520
Software Developer$167,030$150,297
Data Scientist$135,610$122,025
Web Developer$115,560$103,984
Dental Hygienist$111,147$100,013
Registered Nurse$109,700$98,711
Project Manager$109,680$98,693
Police Officer$109,180$98,243

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Seattle’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Seattle has a cost-of-living index of 111 against a US average of 100, so it is about 11% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Seattle has roughly the purchasing power of $89,982 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Seattle's median rent of $1,998/month that implies about $79,920 a year before tax. The median household in Seattle earns $121,984.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $9,477 a month in Seattle across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $12,776 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Seattle costs $912,100, which is 7.5x the median household income of $121,984. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Seattle is expensive relative to local incomes.