Burien, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Burien, WA Summary

Cost of living in Burien 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 Burien 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 Burien is 142, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Burien is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Burien ranks as the #135 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Burien ranks as the #5,468 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Burien is $631,627.

  • The median income in Burien is $90,597.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
142
Burien's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Burien, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Burien has an overall cost of living index of 142, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Burien has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Burien ranks as #135 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Burien ranks as the #57 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Burien, check out:

135 out of 192
In Washington
5,468 out of 6,489
In America

Burien Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Burien is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Burien is 117.

  • The Health index in Burien is 115.

  • The Housing index in Burien is 203.

  • The Transportation index in Burien is 127.

  • The Utilities index in Burien is 95.

Living Expense Burien Washington National Average
Overall 142 118 100
Services 114 111 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 115 122 100
Housing 203 135 100
Transportation 127 124 100
Utilities 95 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Burien Cost of Living Vs. WA

Burien, 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 Burien is $631,627.

  • The Median Rent in Burien is $1,742.

  • The Median Income in Burien is $90,597.

  • The Home Value To Income in Burien is 7.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Burien is 0.23x.

Statistic Burien Washington United States
Median Home Value $631,627 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,742 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $90,597 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.0x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.21x
$631,627
Median Home Value
$1,742
Median Rent
$90,597
Median Income

Burien, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Burien Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Burien 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 Burien Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Burien 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 Burien Health Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Burien Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Burien Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

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

Burien SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Burien

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Burien. 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, 0.9x Burien.

  • Renton, WA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x Burien.

  • Bremerton, WA has a cost of living index of 123, 0.9x Burien.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Burien
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 0.9x
Renton, WA 105,279 147 1.0x
Bremerton, WA 44,531 123 0.9x
Des Moines, WA 32,545 137 1.0x
SeaTac, WA 31,143 132 0.9x
Mercer Island, WA 25,282 263 1.9x
Bainbridge Island, WA 24,607 185 1.3x
Tukwila, WA 21,479 129 0.9x
Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA 17,577 145 1.0x
Port Orchard, WA 16,398 135 1.0x

Articles About Washington

Enjoy The Snack?