Des Moines, WA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Des Moines, WA Summary
Cost of living in Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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 Des Moines is 137, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Des Moines is 1.4x higher than the national average.
Des Moines ranks as the #119 cheapest in Washington out of 192.
Des Moines ranks as the #5,293 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Des Moines is $594,620.
The median income in Des Moines is $89,787.
Table Of Contents
Des Moines's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Des Moines, WA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Des Moines has an overall cost of living index of 137, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Washington, Des Moines has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Washington's index of 118.
The standard of living in Des Moines ranks as #119 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Des Moines ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.
For more reading on life in Des Moines, check out:
In Washington
In America
Des Moines Cost Of Living Vs. Washington
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Des Moines. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Des Moines is 112.
The Groceries index in Des Moines is 117.
The Health index in Des Moines is 116.
The Housing index in Des Moines is 188.
The Transportation index in Des Moines is 126.
The Utilities index in Des Moines is 95.
| Living Expense | Des Moines | Washington | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 137 | 118 | 100 | |
| Services | 112 | 111 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 116 | 122 | 100 | |
| Housing | 188 | 135 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 126 | 124 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 91 | 100 | |
Des Moines, 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 Des Moines is $594,620.
The Median Rent in Des Moines is $1,727.
The Median Income in Des Moines is $89,787.
The Home Value To Income in Des Moines is 6.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Des Moines is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Des Moines | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $594,620 | $595,737 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,727 | $1,682 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $89,787 | $94,952 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.6x | 6.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Des Moines, WA Costs By Category
Detailed Des Moines Services Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Des Moines | 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 Des Moines Groceries Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Des Moines | 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 Des Moines Health Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Des Moines | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $242.14 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $139.77 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $164.3 | $113.29 |
Detailed Des Moines Transportation Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Des Moines | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.39 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $77.69 | $59.92 |
Detailed Des Moines Utilities Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Des Moines | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $175.38 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $207.11 | $192.25 |
Des Moines SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Des Moines
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Des Moines. 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 Des Moines.
Kent, WA has a cost of living index of 137, 1.0x Des Moines.
Federal Way, WA has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Des Moines.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma, WA | 220,482 | 130 | 0.9x |
| Kent, WA | 135,015 | 137 | 1.0x |
| Federal Way, WA | 99,232 | 132 | 1.0x |
| Auburn, WA | 85,455 | 134 | 1.0x |
| Lakewood, WA | 63,034 | 127 | 0.9x |
| Burien, WA | 51,331 | 142 | 1.0x |
| Parkland, WA | 39,174 | 122 | 0.9x |
| SeaTac, WA | 31,143 | 132 | 1.0x |
| Tukwila, WA | 21,479 | 129 | 0.9x |
| Port Orchard, WA | 16,398 | 135 | 1.0x |
