Cost of Living in Washington, DC
Washington, DC scores 152 on the cost-of-living index — about 52% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #6 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Washington vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Washington to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Washington, DC, you would need about $123,026 in New York City, NY — roughly 23.0% more.
| Category | Washington | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 152 | 187 | +23% |
| Housing | 212 | 287 | +35% |
| Groceries | 122 | 137 | +12% |
| Utilities | 129 | 130 | +1% |
| Transportation | 126 | 120 | −5% |
| Healthcare | 117 | 128 | +9% |
Washington cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 152 | +52% |
| Housing | 212 | +112% |
| Groceries | 122 | +22% |
| Utilities | 129 | +29% |
| Transportation | 126 | +26% |
| Healthcare | 117 | +17% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Washington expensive to live in?
Washington, DC has a cost-of-living index of 152, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 52% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #6 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 212.
What is the cost-of-living index for Washington?
The overall index is 152 (US average = 100). By category: housing 212, groceries 122, utilities 129, transportation 126 and healthcare 117. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Washington?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Washington to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Washington cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Washington?
In Washington, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 117), while housing is the priciest (index 212).