seattle vs bay area cost of living

Compare some of America's most popular cities. Weekly trips to the grocery store can add up, especially if food costs are high where you live. But Seattle depressing clouds beat that. You may find that after you move, you will need to purchase many new items for the new location, for example, window coverings, rugs, lighting, and outdoor gear. 10 nationally. There are ways to trim that down. Whether youre a commuter via your own vehicle or public transportation, considering factors like the price of gas and monthly cost of taking a train or bus is crucial when budgeting for your move. Monthly bus pass costs were obtained from the individual websites of the public transit system for each city. Most goods and services are affordable. CA. Your lifestyle and what you prioritize will also play into whether a particular destination is suitable for your salary and ideal cost of living. What your skills are worth in the job market is constantly changing. According to the BLS, transportation is the second-largest expense consumers have.For some, these costs include taking public transportation. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Design, Go to company page The cost of living in Seattle is 57% higher than the national average, Washington general sales tax is 28% higher than the national average, Washington state income tax is 100% lower than the national average. Cost of living is the amount of money you need to sustain a certain lifestyle in a given place. Our partners compensate us. And it adds up. Plan on spending more on gas and auto expenses if you move to Seattle, Washington, resulting in a higher, In Seattle, WA, the average commute time is about 42.99 minutes. For example, if you, A general rule of thumb is to keep your spending on necessities, such as housing and food, to no more than 50 percent of your take-home pay. Not surprisingly, cost of living varies widely from place to place. There are ways to trim that down. There are nearly 8 million people in an area smaller than the Seattle Metro. There are ways to save money on your food expenses if you plan carefully. Cost of living is also tied to income, as salary levels in a geographic area are measured against these expenses. Proximity to employment is an important consideration because it can drastically impact your cost of living. Health related expenses are 2.0% more in Los Angeles. This is how much you would need to earn in. Cost of living. While other resources provide basic cost comparisons. Items on which the index is based have been carefully chosen to reflect the different categories of consumer expenditures., C2ER was founded in 1961, and continues to exist today as a nonprofit organization, comprising research staff of chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and agencies, and related organizations throughout the United States. C2ER has published its quarterly Cost of Living Index since 1968. To maintain your standard of living in Seattle, WA, you'll need a household income of: The cost of living is 18% lower in Seattle, WA. Utilities tend to cost 21.92% , a nationwide ratings system that evaluates schools based on performance on state achievement tests. This can vary depending on the time of day, day of week, and the weather and road conditions. Answer some questions to get offerswith no impact to your credit score. Americans spend nearly the same amount each year on entertainment as they do on health insurance, according to the BLS. Home prices, property taxes and monthly rents vary from state to state, city to city, town to town and even neighborhood to neighborhood.For homeowners, there are more expenses to consider than just the monthly mortgage payment. Copyright 2009-2023 Numbeo. Education costs meanwhile amount to about $1,226 annually. PayScale's Cost of Living Calculator can help you find out more about how your individual needs will factor in when beginning your research to figure out how much it would cost you to relocate. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Do not sell or share my personal information. Because the price of goods and services varies from one city to the next, calculating the cost of living will determine how affordable it is to live in a certain area. TOP 3 Comments. There are tons of cities with 100K+ population throughout the Metro. Pay increases are a top concern for 2022 to attract and retain talent, Temporary employee laws: A guide to hiring contract roles, What to include in a termination letter: Template and examples, How to Manage Your Time and Prioritize Your Workload. Increasing rapidly. This information is important when job searching or when considering relocating or purchasing a home in a new part of the country, or even the world. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. Whether thats a mortgage or rent, a large percentage of your salary will go toward your housing expenses each month. Whether thats a mortgage or rent, a large percentage of your salary will go toward your housing expenses each month. > Your use of this service is subject to our, Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course, McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal), Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat), Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car), Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car), Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment, 1 min. Not only will we show you the cost of living difference, but we'll let you. NYC sounds like a good fit for you. Get matched with a top agent in your area. These expenses included public transit and motor vehicle-related costs like auto purchases, parts, fuels, rentals, leases and insurance. It is the third-largest expense category for consumers, behind housing and transportation respectively. Health related expenses are 12.0% more in Atlanta. Demographics data (including population, age, ethnicity, education and gender breakdown) were compiled from the, Quality of life data (gyms, bars and beauty salons per 1,000 residents) were collected from the Yellow Pages. Copyright 2009-2023 Numbeo. This is the tax that you will pay on things that you buy. 2023 Bankrate, LLC. Healthcare ate up $5,452 of the average annual household budget in 2021roughly $454 per month. The expenses that factor into cost of living can include housing affordability, transportation expenses, food prices and entertainment costs. 4. Thats part of the hybrid policy. The term discretionary spending, on the other hand, is used to describe non-essential costs. Go to company page Whether thats a mortgage or rent, a large percentage of your salary will go toward your housing expenses each month. When it comes to renting, San Francisco's average rental rate in November 2022 stood at $3,400 for a 740 square foot apartment. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. Increasing steadily. Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to easily compare the cost of living in your current location to the cost of living in a new location. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. Weekly trips to the grocery store can add up, especially if food costs are high where you live. I can barely keep up with the increasing prices. Seattle, Washington has on average 149 days per years with rain. Whether you're planning for an upcoming move or just curious about the cost of living in other cities, the PayScale Cost of Living Calculator is the place to begin your research (or daydreaming). The total income needed is $14,200 Goods, services and housing are all very affordable. Click here to customize .) Pre-qualified offers are not binding. A movie ticket, a pint of beer, box seats at a baseball game they can all come with a different price tag depending upon where you live. Take our 3 minute quiz and match with an advisor today. Groceries index. Walkability and public transit scores were obtained from, Monthly bus pass costs were obtained from the individual websites of the public transit system for each city. This is where the 28/36 rule comes in, which clarifies how much how you can afford. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. In California, they run almost to $4,000 annually. Depending on income level, some consumers spend significantly more than that. Written by Mia Taylor | Edited by Troy Segal. If you plan to drive to work, also do some research on average traffic in your destination town or city. Because the price of goods and services varies from one city to the next, calculating the cost of living will determine how affordable it is to live in a certain area. Check out stores like Kroger to buy items in bulk at a considerable savings. Demographics data (including population, age, ethnicity, education and gender breakdown) were compiled from theU.S. Census. So how do we make money? For others, it involves driving your car, and that means factoring in car repairs, gas, tolls and parking. Use our tool to get a personalized report on your market worth. Compare that to the cost of living in Texas, which is 8 percent lower than the national average, even though pricier cities like Plano have a cost of living thats above the national average. Walkability and public transit scores were obtained fromWalk Score. Air quality in SF is among the top 10 worst in the USA. Step-By-Step Pay Equity Analysis Guide Product Guide By clicking Download Product Guide, Do you know what your employees really want for the holidays? NerdWallet excluded state and local tax data because tax rates vary by state and metropolitan area, and sometimes within metropolitan area as well. Seattle, Washington is considered to have a very good public transport system. While other resources provide basic cost comparisons,NerdWallets cost of living calculatorand accompanying city life tool go one step further by offering information on schools, quality of life and demographics, giving users a one-stop shop to explore new cities. The CPI does not, however, include costs associated with income taxes or money consumers spend on investments like stocks, bonds or life insurance. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans), Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL), Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child, International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child, 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ), Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre, Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre, Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate. So when deciding where to live, determine whether your income level will be able to keep pace with cost of living increases. The renters in the city have an income of about $51,326, which would make their monthly maximum allowable rental costs $1,198. A movie ticket, a pint of beer, box seats at a baseball game they can all come with a different price tag depending upon where you live. Chicago shows $138k vs 210k and 203k for SF and Seattle. Weve broken down the top cities in several states, ranked by such factors as affordability, job prospects and safety. According to MITs living wage calculator, food costs in Florida and Texas run $3,351 per year for a single adult. A cost of living index is a city-to-city comparison of the cost of living in each place, based on a variety of consumer expenses and spending categories. For others, it involves driving your car, and that means factoring in car repairs, gas, tolls and parking. Seattle, WA VS San Francisco, CA $851,400 Seattle, WA 42% less Median Home Cost $1,471,200 San Francisco, CA $7,918 Seattle, WA 15% less Property Taxes (annual based on avg price home) $9,415 San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Webinar Everything you need to know about Seattle, WA real estate FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPTION: According to the latest BLS data, consumers average over $7,000 per year on food expenses. Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis. Once you understand what they cover, they'll look less overwhelming. To give you an idea of how living expenses vary by state, lets compare the cost of living differences in the countrys three most-populated states: California, Texas and Florida. You should evaluate the options based on your usage and preferences and pick the best fit for your needs. Our cost of living calculator will help you figure out if your move will work for your budget and salary. Health care, childcare, education, transportation and utilities are additional necessities that combine to create the overall cost of living for the average individual or family. The 2021 Consumer Expenditure Survey published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that housing expenses accounted for 26 percent of average budgets, or about $22,624 annually. 6 in U.S for public transportation availability. You could eat out less, cut back on takeout and cook more often. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour while Washington's state law sets the minimum wage rate at $15.74 per hour in 2023. For example, the cost of an unlimited MetroCard in New York was obtained from theMTA website. Facebook public2. Just enter your salary and job title as well as your current location and the city where you're considering a move. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. Core cost of living data is fromThe Cost of Living Index - COLIfrom the Council for Community and Economic Research. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest bill consumers pay each month is for housing. Nov 20, 2020 0. household income. Or take important individual items like groceries and health care. Public transit in Seattle, WA will cost you around $99.00 per month. Seattle, Washington is ranked number 96 out of 100 major cities. Compare the cost of living in undefined, undefined vs. undefined, undefined and see how far your salary will go to maintain your standard of living. Your use of this service is subject to our, Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course, McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal), Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat), Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car), Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car), Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment, 1 min. Decreasing rapidly. Are you sure you want to rest your choices? A shift towards, Handling involuntary termination is a likely occurrence for human resources managers and, Return better results with Payscale job search, Compare real living costs across different states, Consider potential directions your career can take, Calculate the 20-year net ROI for US-based colleges, Are you the kind of person who struggles to get a handle, Learn where the best career earners attended college, Streamlined solutions for every step of the compensation management journey, Continuously updated compensation datasets from Payscale and our partners, Flexible, customizable services and support for Payscale customers, End comp guesswork with our free job-pricing tool, From collection to validation, our data methodology delivers certainty, Meet the leaders dedicated to empowering better conversations around pay, Track and compare wage-growth by city, industry, company size, and job category, Access helpful tools and insights for career planning and salary negotiation, Explore real-world career trends and advice from the leaders in compensation, Uncover detailed salary data for specific jobs, employers, schools, and more, Take our salary survey to see what you should be earning. For instance, itll cost you considerably less to live in Fort Smith, Arkansas compared to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Step-By-Step Pay Equity Analysis Guide Product Guide By clicking Download Product Guide, Do you know what your employees really want for the holidays? According to U.S. Census data released in 2018, the Seattle metropolitan areas population stands at 3.87 million, and ranks as the 15th largest in the United States. The information provided by a cost of living index can help you get a realistic snapshot of living expenses and create a budget. 4 Reply vonfuckingneumann 1 yr. ago Chicago and Seattle's weather is worse compared to NYC When's the last time it snowed in Seattle? And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. For someone working in a FAANG+ company, would the difference be much smaller? This calculation uses our Cost of Living Plus Rent Index to compare cost of living. In 2021, American households spent an average of $8,289 on food, or 10 percent of their budget, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Sign up or log in to compare your personalized match scores. It is comprised of nearly 100,000 data points gathered primarily by C2ER members located in 400 cities.. For example, the cost of an unlimited MetroCard in New York was obtained from the. More traffic means more gas spent. Planning a move to another town, city or state? And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. 165 185 185 comments Add a Comment TheAnalogKoala 5 mo. According to the council, C2ER produces the Cost of Living Index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences among urban areas. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. NerdWallet excluded state and local tax data because tax rates vary by state and metropolitan area, and sometimes within metropolitan area as well. However you could get a significant cut if you move to Florida instead. Comparison Highlights - Overall, San Francisco, California is 45.4% more expensive than Seattle, Washington How is this tool different from other resources out there? United States vs United States > Current cityIf you can't find a city, you can type the state name to see all cities available in that state. A shift towards, Handling involuntary termination is a likely occurrence for human resources managers and, Return better results with Payscale job search, Compare real living costs across different states, Consider potential directions your career can take, Calculate the 20-year net ROI for US-based colleges, Are you the kind of person who struggles to get a handle, Learn where the best career earners attended college, Streamlined solutions for every step of the compensation management journey, Continuously updated compensation datasets from Payscale and our partners, Flexible, customizable services and support for Payscale customers, End comp guesswork with our free job-pricing tool, From collection to validation, our data methodology delivers certainty, Meet the leaders dedicated to empowering better conversations around pay, Track and compare wage-growth by city, industry, company size, and job category, Access helpful tools and insights for career planning and salary negotiation, Explore real-world career trends and advice from the leaders in compensation, Uncover detailed salary data for specific jobs, employers, schools, and more, Take our salary survey to see what you should be earning. Transform pay with our enterprise-grade comp platform, Automate compensation with our full-suite solution, Payscale's employer-reported salary data network, The world`s largest employee-submitted pay database, Annual survey salary data from HR industry publishers, The crowdsourced compensation data API for developers, 100% company submitted data from 2,000+ businesses, Schedule a personalized demo to feel the power of Payscale, Find salary information for similar job titles and locations, Comp Planning Business Case Pitch Deck By clicking Download Pitch Deck, you. Let us help you make an informed decision about what it will cost to live and work in the city of your dreams! A low rate can save you hundreds each year. lower. Private school data was obtained from the Department of Education, and average private tuition was compiled by averaging tuition across randomly selected schools in each city. Terms of Use and Cost of living indexes typically use numerical values when measuring and comparing affordability, often working with either the national average as a benchmark or a base score of 100 for a specific city. For instance, if you need to stay in one location for an office job, plan to settle down and start a family or decide you prefer the stability and equity benefits owning a home offers, buying could be the right move if you have enough money to invest in homeownership. Home prices, property taxes and monthly rents vary from state to state, city to city, town to town and even neighborhood to neighborhood.For homeowners, there are more expenses to consider than just the monthly mortgage payment. What is the breakdown of the cost of living? Cost of Living in Glendale, California: 8.97 miles: Cost of Living in Hermosa Beach, California: 20.55 miles: Cost of Living in Long Beach, California: 24.55 miles: Cost of Living in Anaheim, California: 26.50 miles: Cost of Living in Westminster, California: 31.94 miles: Cost of Living in Santa Ana, California: 33.48 miles: Cost of Living in . How To Find The Cheapest Travel Insurance, Grocery store accessibility and dining choices. Awful. You'll have to take out a loan to live here. Before you get the keys to your new home, you'll have to pay closing costs. You compared Oakland and Bellevue, but Oakland is nearly 4 times bigger. Its all about one's priorities. The cost of living in any area can vary based on factors such as your career, its average salary and the real estate market of that area. According to the latest BLS data, consumers average over $7,000 per year on food expenses. 2023 Compare Cities Cost of Living: Seattle, WA vs Los Angeles, CA Change Cities Highlights Los Angeles is 5.0% more expensive than Seattle. Match score. Dont forget to add these factors to your relocation pros and cons list before you pack your bags: Income plays a central role in cost of living decisions. Due to the plethora of state taxes, local taxes, jurisdictions and assessment procedures involved in the assessment of income, property and sales taxes, local tax rates cannot be accurately calculated. Each city or region is given a number thats either above or below 100, which is a barometer that consumers can use to gauge how the cost of living in a particular city relates to the national average. There are many providers and various packages that are offered, many that bundle internet, cable, and phone together. Expenses typically factored into cost of living calculations include housing, food and taxes. I'm also a bay area native living in Seattle working in tech - this place has generally very good public transit, but you'll need a car to see nature, the coast, go hiking, etc. The cost of living in Seattle is 57% higher than the national average. Get started! Lifestyle plays a significant role in cost of living expenses and includes the cost of items above and beyond necessities such as food and housing. This expense may be a mortgage or rent, and it is typically the single biggest expense for consumers. The cost of electricity in Washington has gone down by 1.608% in the past year. If the weather is bad, commute time can double! Washington general sales tax is 28% higher than the national average. Seattle, WA area prices were up 2.8% from a year ago. from the Council for Community and Economic Research. Whether thats a mortgage or rent, a large percentage of your salary will go toward your housing expenses each month. Find a personal loan in 2 minutes or less. Cost of Living in Seattle vs San Francisco San Francisco is a more expensive city than Seattle, but they're both extremely expensive relative to the rest of the county. Cost of Living in Seattle, WA is 35.7% Higher than the National Average Did the Cost of Living in Seattle, WA increase in 2023? Your income will also become stretched with childcare costs if you plan on starting or expanding your family, so factor that into your decision-making when investigating where you can afford to live comfortably. Highlights. The cost of living in Seattle is 6% more expensive than in Tampa.Cities ranked 64th and 95th ($2881 vs $2714) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 52nd and 78th in the United States.The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.1 months in Seattle compared to 1.8 months in Tampa. Also, remember that some of the outputs on the cost of living calculator like medical visits are for a single person, so youll need to adjust the calculations if youre married or have children. In California, they run almost to $4,000 annually. Education data was provided courtesy ofGreatschools, a nationwide ratings system that evaluates schools based on performance on state achievement tests. The median after-tax salary is $6182, which is enough to cover living expenses for 2.1 months. Decreasing steadily. If you are focused on earning more bay is better. But even then, the price of groceries is going to significantly influence your cost of living. Once you understand what they cover, they'll look less overwhelming. Do not sell or share my personal information. CA, you'll need a Price collection by city is conducted in strict conformance with standard specifications at specified times. According to the BLS, transportation is the second-largest expense consumers have.For some, these costs include taking public transportation.