Overall
108.9
Above avg
Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Cost-of-living indicators for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.
- 108.9
- Overall RPP
- #15
- of 387 metros
- 151.1
- Rents RPP
- $92K
- $100K national buys
Washington ranks #15 of 387 U.S. metros by cost, and its overall price index has fallen 5.9 points since 2008.
- falling since 2008
- similar cost to Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
The verdict
Washington is more expensive than 96% of U.S. metros, an overall cost index of 108.9, 8.9% above the national average, led by rents at 151.1.
- top 4%
- by overall cost, nationwide
- 104.8
- goods RPP, tradable items
- 106.7
- services RPP, labor-priced
A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $91,841 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $108,884.
Washington vs every U.S. metro
Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution
109 Top 4% higher than 96% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024
Washington cost breakdown
BEA RPP by category, 100 = national average
- Rents
Rents
151.1 RPP
- Services
Services
106.7 RPP
- Overall
Overall
108.9 RPP
- Goods
Goods
104.8 RPP
What this shows Washington's cost structure is housing-led: rents at 151.1 depart furthest from 100, while services sits at 106.7. This is a rent-sensitive profile, not a claim that every local expense moves together.
Goods vs. housing, where Washington's cost comes from
Metros near Washington's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.
Read the chart as text
- Washington (Washington, this metro): goods RPP 104.8, rents RPP 151.1
- Santa Maria: goods RPP 105.2, rents RPP 151.4
- Salinas: goods RPP 105.2, rents RPP 145.7
- San Luis Obispo: goods RPP 105.2, rents RPP 144.4
- Vallejo: goods RPP 105.2, rents RPP 142
- Kahului: goods RPP 111.6, rents RPP 119.2
- Kiryas Joel: goods RPP 110.3, rents RPP 115.8
Price Index Summary
Goods
104.8
Above avg
Services
106.7
Above avg
Rents
151.1
Expensive
Housing-led cost profile
How Washington's cost structure works
Housing is the defining pressure in Washington: rents index at 151.1, the furthest component above the national benchmark. The overall index of 108.9 places Washington in the upper 25% by overall cost; the rent line explains why a similar headline RPP can still require a different housing budget.
Across all reported metros, the closest component-profile matches are Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Trenton-Princeton, NJ. They resemble Washington across goods, services, and rents together, so they are stronger structure peers than a place selected only because its overall RPP happens to be nearby.
Across 2008-2024, Washington's overall index has fallen by 5.9 points. This is a relative price-level history, not a prediction or a personal affordability recommendation; pair it with current local wages and housing options before making a decision.
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$108,884
in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$54,442
$75,000 nationally
$81,663
$125,000 nationally
$136,105
$150,000 nationally
$163,326
$200,000 nationally
$217,768
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
Affordability score
F
3/100
How far the median local paycheck goes here, combining income and housing cost
Purchasing power
Not reported
Housing affordability F
3rd percentile
A weighted composite (60% purchasing power, 40% housing affordability) percentile-ranked against every other tracked metro; a missing input redistributes its weight rather than deflating the score. Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 (income) + BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 (cost). Vintages differ by design; see methodology.
Latest BEA release change
What changed from 2023 to 2024
Washington's overall RPP fell -0.7 points, from 109.5 in 2023 to 108.9 in 2024. The largest category movement was goods, changing from 106.4 to 104.8. This is a relative change against the national benchmark, not a household's dollar bill.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 5.9 points over this period. The largest single-year move was in 2017, when the index dropped 2.3 points from the year before.
Washington overall RPP, 2008-2024
Every year on record, national average = 100
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 114.8 |
| 2009 | 115.0 |
| 2010 | 114.6 |
| 2011 | 113.5 |
| 2012 | 111.7 |
| 2013 | 113.9 |
| 2014 | 113.7 |
| 2015 | 113.7 |
| 2016 | 112.1 |
| 2017 | 109.8 |
| 2018 | 111.2 |
| 2019 | 109.8 |
| 2020 | 111.4 |
| 2021 | 111.6 |
| 2022 | 111.2 |
| 2023 | 109.5 |
| 2024 | 108.9 |
Decision peers
Metros with a similar cost mix
These metros are closest to Washington's combined goods, services, and rents profile. They may not have the same overall RPP, but their price pressures are shaped in a similar way.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Goods 103.6 · Services 97.2 · Rents 155.6 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Goods 104.0 · Services 92.8 · Rents 151.3 Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Goods 99.8 · Services 112.3 · Rents 135.1 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Goods 101.0 · Services 87.9 · Rents 146.9 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Goods 110.3 · Services 127.0 · Rents 148.6 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
Goods 105.0 · Services 92.0 · Rents 129.6
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV's index of 108.9.
Showing the 6 closest of 387 metro areas tracked nationally.
Nationwide metros with similar overall cost or rent prices
Two BEA RPP-derived peer sets for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: nearest metros by overall regional price parity and by rents RPP. These are cross-state neighborhoods, not the in-state metro list below.
Similar overall RPP
Nearest metros by overall regional price parity (108.9 here).
Similar rents RPP
Nearest metros by rents regional price parity (151.1 here).
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Rents 151.3 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area Rents 150.5 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Rents 148.6 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Rents 148.4 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Rents 146.9 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Rents 155.6 Boulder, CO Rents 157.0 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Rents 139.6
Compare to Other Metros
Cost of living guides →, cheapest and most-expensive metro rankings, salary negotiation with RPP data, and step-by-step comparison walkthroughs.
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Take this cost snapshot with you
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What this means for Washington
How to read Washington's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.
- Budget to local prices, not headline pay, a $100K national salary spends like about $91,841 in Washington. Salary calculator
- Start with rents: it indexes at 151.1, the largest departure from the national benchmark in this metro's BEA cost mix. Compare it with the other components before treating the overall RPP as a complete household budget.
- Compare Washington head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros
RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown, not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 108.9, meaning it is 8.9% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 104.8, services at 106.7, and rents at 151.1. It ranks #15 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV to match $100K nationally?
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $108,884 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Conversely, $100K earned in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has the purchasing power of $91,841 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
Rents in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV are indexed at 151.1, which is 51.1% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV getting more expensive?
From 2008 to 2024, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV's overall cost index changed by -5.9 points (from 114.8 to 108.9). The cost of living has been declining.
What costs the most in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The priciest category in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is rents at 151.1, 51.1% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 104.8, 4.8% above average, still the lowest of the three categories.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, Salinas, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV's 108.9.
Data sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP), the cost-of-living indices shown on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), gross-rent observations behind the rents component
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI), goods and services price relatives
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), labor-driven services component
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR), 40th-percentile rent cross-reference
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.