California to Washington: Cost of Living Comparison
Moving from California to Washington, the cost of living is about 3.3% cheaper. To keep the same standard of living you have on $100,000 in California, you'd need roughly $96,658 in Washington — a cut of about $3,342.
| California | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US avg = 100) | 110.7 | 107.0 |
| Salary to match $100,000 | $100,000 | $96,658 |
| Purchasing power of $100,000 | $100,000 | $103,458 |
Based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items). Washington is at 107.0 vs California at 110.7 on the national-average scale of 100.
Want to try your own salary or a different pair of states? Use the interactive cost-of-living calculator →
How the California → Washington comparison works
Cost of living differs from place to place because the same basket of goods, services and — above all — housing costs different amounts. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures this with Regional Price Parities (RPP): an index where the national average is 100. California sits at 110.7 and Washington at 107.0, which means everyday spending in Washington costs about 3.3% less than in California.
To keep the same standard of living you enjoy on $100,000 in California, you would need about $96,658 in Washington. Looked at the other way, if you moved with the same $100,000 paycheck, its real purchasing power once you're paying Washington prices would feel like $103,458.
Remember this is a statewide, all-items average. Your actual experience depends heavily on where exactly you live, whether you rent or own, and your lifestyle — and it doesn't account for the difference in income tax between the two states, which you can model separately in the take-home-pay tools below.
Equivalent salary at other income levels
| Your salary in California | Equivalent in Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,329 | −$1,671 |
| $75,000 | $72,493 | −$2,507 |
| $100,000 | $96,658 | −$3,342 |
| $150,000 | $144,986 | −$5,014 |
| $200,000 | $193,315 | −$6,685 |
See your take-home pay in each state
Cost of living is only half the picture — income tax changes what you actually keep. Compare paychecks:
Move from California to another state
⚠️ Cost-of-living estimate based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items, statewide average). Real costs vary by city, housing and lifestyle, and this does not include the difference in state income tax. For general guidance only — not financial advice.