What is the cost of living in Federal Way, WA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Federal Way has an overall cost of living index of 133, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Washington, Federal Way has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 120.
The standard of living in Federal Way ranks as #110 most affordable out of the 191 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Federal Way ranks as the #81 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.
For more reading on life in Federal Way, check out:
Federal Way Cost Of Living Vs. Washington
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Federal Way. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Federal Way is 105.
The Groceries index in Federal Way is 115.
The Health index in Federal Way is 185.
The Housing index in Federal Way is 114.
The Transportation index in Federal Way is 113.
The Utilities index in Federal Way is 113.
| Living Expense | Federal Way | Washington | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 133 | 120 | 100 |
| Services | 105 | 108 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 108 | 100 |
| Health | 185 | 137 | 100 |
| Housing | 114 | 111 | 100 |
| Transportation | 113 | 111 | 100 |
| Utilities | 113 | 110 | 100 |
Federal Way Cost Of Living Compared To Washington Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Federal Way Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Federal Way, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Federal Way is $601,744.
The Median Rent in Federal Way is $1,797.
The Median Income in Federal Way is $86,909.
The Home Value To Income in Federal Way is 6.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Federal Way is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Federal Way | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $601,744 | $601,016 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,797 | $1,760 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $86,909 | $98,141 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.9x | 6.1x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.22x | 0.21x |
Federal Way, WA Costs By Category
Detailed Federal Way Services costs vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.92 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.09 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.76 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.27 | $45.56 |
Detailed Federal Way Groceries costs vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.71 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.55 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.14 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $3.87 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.74 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.15 | $3.7 |
Detailed Federal Way Health costs vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $191.81 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $192.99 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $127.12 | $113.29 |
Detailed Federal Way Transportation costs vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.2 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $78.74 | $59.92 |
Detailed Federal Way Utilities costs vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $169.3 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $204.78 | $192.25 |
Federal Way SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Federal Way
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Federal Way. 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 126, 0.9x Federal Way.
Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 124, 0.9x Federal Way.
Puyallup, WA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Federal Way.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Federal Way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma, WA | 222,758 | 126 | 0.9x |
| Lakewood, WA | 62,937 | 124 | 0.9x |
| Puyallup, WA | 42,746 | 128 | 1.0x |
| Parkland, WA | 38,742 | 118 | 0.9x |
| Des Moines, WA | 32,823 | 134 | 1.0x |
| Lakeland North, WA | 15,950 | 136 | 1.0x |
| Lakeland South, WA | 13,100 | 135 | 1.0x |
| Gig Harbor, WA | 12,424 | 151 | 1.1x |
| Fife, WA | 10,949 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Sumner, WA | 10,733 | 129 | 1.0x |
