City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 2.1% higher than in Washington, DC. Someone earning $100,000 in Washington, DC would need about $102,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $2,015 in Washington, DC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 33% in Washington, DC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.8% moving from Seattle, WA to Washington, DC ($119,630 → $121,785), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Seattle, WA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,976 in Washington | $102,066 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Washington, DC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
63 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC | Real change, Seattle → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $70,623 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $85,447 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $102,415 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $121,785 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $143,913 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $79,470 | $81,111 (−21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $154,930 | $158,130 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $102,140 | $104,250 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $102,710 | $104,831 (−18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.