New York vs Seattle
New York, NY · Seattle, WA
Seattle is 17% cheaper than New York overall.
Home Price
New: $750,000
Seattle: $780,000
Monthly Rent
New: $3,600/mo
Seattle: $1,800/mo
COL Index
New: 187
Seattle: 156
Median Income
New: $76,607
Seattle: $102,900
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in New York has the same purchasing power as $83,422 in Seattle — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Seattle are 4% cheaper (-$30,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Seattle saves you $1,800/month — $21,600 per year. Median rent: $3,600/mo in New York vs $1,800/mo in Seattle.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, New York owners pay roughly $12,750/year in property taxes vs $7,176/year in Seattle. That's a $5,574 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,607 in New York and $102,900 in Seattle. New York residents earn 34% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 36 minutes in New York vs 30 minutes in Seattle. Over a year, that's 3000 extra minutes (50 hours) of commuting in New York.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from New York to Seattle, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in New York | Equivalent in Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $41,711 | -$8,289 |
| $75,000 | $62,567 | -$12,433 |
| $100,000 | $83,422 | -$16,578 |
| $150,000 | $125,134 | -$24,866 |
| $200,000 | $166,845 | -$33,155 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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New York Calculators
Seattle Calculators
Related Comparisons
New York vs Seattle: Common Questions
Is New York or Seattle cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Seattle is cheaper overall. New York has a COL index of 187 while Seattle scores 156 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between New York and Seattle?
The median home price in New York is $750,000 vs $780,000 in Seattle — a difference of $30,000 (4%).
What salary do I need in Seattle to match my New York income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in New York is equivalent to $83,422 in Seattle in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Seattle has a lower property tax rate (0.92% vs 1.7%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $7,176/year vs $12,750/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.