Overall
111.1
+11.1 above avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Cost-of-living indicators for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 42660 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #7 of 387
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has a cost of living index of 111.1, meaning it's 11.1% more expensive than the national average. Goods cost 4.0% more, services 7.2% less, and rents are 51.3% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $89,982 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Seattle
Seattle ranks #7 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 111.1, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is 11.1% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Seattle's most and least expensive categories — rents at 151.3 versus services at 92.8 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $89,982 inside Seattle, while a household needs roughly $111,133 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 151.3 — 51.3% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Seattle's overall index has risen by 2.0 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 104.0 and services at 92.8, meaning everyday spending in Seattle is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Seattle Cost Index at a Glance
Seattle all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Seattle category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
104.0
+4.0 above avg
Services
92.8
-7.2 below avg
Rents
151.3
+51.3 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 111.1 (+11.1 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 104.0 (+4.0 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 92.8 (-7.2 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 151.3 (+51.3 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +51.3% (151.3)
Overall +11.1% (111.1)
Goods +4.0% (104.0)
Below National Average
Services -7.2% (92.8)
Income Adequacy in Seattle
Seattle income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 111.1
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$111,133
in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$55,567
$75,000 nationally
$83,350
$125,000 nationally
$138,916
$150,000 nationally
$166,700
$200,000 nationally
$222,266
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.0 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 109.1 |
| 2009 | 108.5 |
| 2010 | 106.4 |
| 2011 | 106.1 |
| 2012 | 105.3 |
| 2013 | 105.2 |
| 2014 | 107.5 |
| 2015 | 107.9 |
| 2016 | 110.2 |
| 2017 | 112.1 |
| 2018 | 110.5 |
| 2019 | 112.5 |
| 2020 | 113.0 |
| 2021 | 114.5 |
| 2022 | 114.0 |
| 2023 | 112.7 |
| 2024 | 111.1 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA's index of 111.1.
Other WA Metros
Related Data for Seattle
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Seattle area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Seattle metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Seattle
School Districts
NCES school data for Seattle area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Seattle area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA? ▼
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 111.1, meaning it is 11.1% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 104.0, services at 92.8, and rents at 151.3. It ranks #7 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $111,133 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. Conversely, $100K earned in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has the purchasing power of $89,982 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA? ▼
Rents in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA are indexed at 151.3, which is 51.3% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA's overall cost index changed by +2.0 points (from 109.1 to 111.1). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What costs the most in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA? ▼
The most expensive category in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is rents at 151.3, which is 51.3% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 92.8, 7.2% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Urban Honolulu, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA's 111.1.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
