City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 10.7% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $110,700 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- Both are in WA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.6% moving from Seattle, WA to Spokane, WA ($119,630 → $106,991), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Seattle, WA | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,294 in Spokane | $110,750 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
27 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Spokane, WA | Real change, Seattle → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,044 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,068 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,974 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,991 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $126,432 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $98,800 | $109,421 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $130,690 | $144,739 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $86,350 | $95,632 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $111,750 | $123,763 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.