Just like with food costs, you can curb how much you spend on entertainment by altering your behavior. 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. Utilizing public transportation could reduce commuting costs in Seattle, Washington. 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. Also, inflation is inevitable. Umm I would not say pay is mostly the same in Seattle vs bay. Your use of this service is subject to our 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. For example, the cost of an unlimited MetroCard in New York was obtained from the. View future changes in the minimum wage in your location by visiting, If you move from Chicago IL, Dallas, TX, or Miami, FL, the percent increase of your, If you move from New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, or Washington, DC, the percent reduction of your. It is possible that electric rates may fluctuate depending on consumption rates, government regulations and even the weather. 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. My point is the Bay Area feels much, much bigger and more urbanized. For example, if you live in Bakersfield, your cost of living is 4 percent higher than the national average, but if you live in San Francisco, its 91 percent higher. Cost of Living Calculator | Salary.com 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. Companies pay cost of labor not cost of living. 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. How To Find The Cheapest Travel Insurance, Grocery store accessibility and dining choices. Theres also maintenance, upgrades, taxes and fees to take into account when deciding where to live. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539, NMLS Consumer Access|Licenses and Disclosures, California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812, Property and Casualty insurance services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no. And it adds up. A low rate can save you hundreds each year. The average cost of living in Seattle is $2881, which is in the top 0.7% of the most expensive cities in the world, ranked 64th out of 9294 in our global list, 52nd out of 2202 in the United States, and 3rd out of 54 in Washington. 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. Before you get the keys to your new home, you'll have to pay closing costs. To maintain your standard of living in Seattle, WA, you'll need a household income of: $40,827 The cost of living is 18% lower in Seattle, WA See Seattle's complete City Life page. If you can't find a city, you can type the state name to see all cities available in that state. Seattle vs Bay Area/San Jose - Cost of living - Blind Here is a list of our partners. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. So when deciding where to live, determine whether your income level will be able to keep pace with cost of living increases. Your lifestyle and what you prioritize will also play into whether a particular destination is suitable for your salary and ideal cost of living. Housing costs: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest bill consumers pay each month is for housing. 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.