Auburn, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Auburn, WA Summary

Cost of living in Auburn research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Auburn is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Auburn is 134, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Auburn is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Auburn ranks as the #101 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Auburn ranks as the #5,171 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Auburn is $601,873.

  • The median income in Auburn is $95,367.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
134
Auburn's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Auburn, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Auburn has an overall cost of living index of 134, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Auburn has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Auburn ranks as #101 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Auburn ranks as the #91 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Auburn, check out:

101 out of 192
In Washington
5,171 out of 6,489
In America

Auburn Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Auburn. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Auburn is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Auburn is 117.

  • The Health index in Auburn is 117.

  • The Housing index in Auburn is 176.

  • The Transportation index in Auburn is 123.

  • The Utilities index in Auburn is 98.

Living Expense Auburn Washington National Average
Overall 134 118 100
Services 112 111 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 117 122 100
Housing 176 135 100
Transportation 123 124 100
Utilities 98 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Auburn Cost of Living Vs. WA

Auburn, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Auburn is $601,873.

  • The Median Rent in Auburn is $1,713.

  • The Median Income in Auburn is $95,367.

  • The Home Value To Income in Auburn is 6.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Auburn is 0.22x.

Statistic Auburn Washington United States
Median Home Value $601,873 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,713 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $95,367 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.3x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.21x 0.21x
$601,873
Median Home Value
$1,713
Median Rent
$95,367
Median Income

Auburn, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Auburn Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Auburn Washington
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $11.87 $12.13
Bowling $17.56 $18
Haircut $32.12 $24.26
Beauty Salon $43.48 $45.56

Detailed Auburn Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Auburn Washington
Ground Beef $5.66 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.78 $1.57
Milk $4.85 $4.67
Potatoes $4.43 $4.93
Pizza $14.86 $12.09
Beer $11.77 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.46 $3.7

Detailed Auburn Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Auburn Washington
Optometrist $242.14 $125.68
Doctor $139.77 $135.78
Dentist $164.3 $113.29

Detailed Auburn Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Auburn Washington
Gasoline $4.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $77.69 $59.92

Detailed Auburn Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Auburn Washington
All Electricity $175.38 $193.99
Phone $207.11 $192.25

Auburn SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
7
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Auburn

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Auburn. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Tacoma, WA has a cost of living index of 130, 1.0x Auburn.

  • Kent, WA has a cost of living index of 137, 1.0x Auburn.

  • Federal Way, WA has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Auburn.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Auburn
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 1.0x
Kent, WA 135,015 137 1.0x
Federal Way, WA 99,232 132 1.0x
Lakewood, WA 63,034 127 0.9x
Puyallup, WA 42,642 135 1.0x
Parkland, WA 39,174 122 0.9x
Lakeland North, WA 14,664 136 1.0x
Lakeland South, WA 12,869 137 1.0x
Lake Tapps, WA 12,360 145 1.1x
Gig Harbor, WA 12,202 154 1.1x

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