Kent, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kent, WA Summary

Cost of living in Kent 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 Kent 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 Kent is 137, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Kent ranks as the #119 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Kent ranks as the #5,293 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kent is $641,487.

  • The median income in Kent is $90,416.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
137
Kent's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kent, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kent has an overall cost of living index of 137, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Kent ranks as #119 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Kent ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Kent, check out:

119 out of 192
In Washington
5,293 out of 6,489
In America

Kent Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Kent is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Kent is 117.

  • The Health index in Kent is 116.

  • The Housing index in Kent is 192.

  • The Transportation index in Kent is 127.

  • The Utilities index in Kent is 99.

Living Expense Kent Washington National Average
Overall 137 118 100
Services 115 111 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 116 122 100
Housing 192 135 100
Transportation 127 124 100
Utilities 99 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Kent Cost of Living Vs. WA

Kent, 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 Kent is $641,487.

  • The Median Rent in Kent is $1,833.

  • The Median Income in Kent is $90,416.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kent is 7.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kent is 0.24x.

Statistic Kent Washington United States
Median Home Value $641,487 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,833 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $90,416 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.1x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.21x 0.21x
$641,487
Median Home Value
$1,833
Median Rent
$90,416
Median Income

Kent, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Kent Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent 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 Kent Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent 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 Kent Health Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Kent Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Kent Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

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

Kent SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kent

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Kent. 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 Kent.

  • Renton, WA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.1x Kent.

  • Auburn, WA has a cost of living index of 134, 1.0x Kent.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kent
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 0.9x
Renton, WA 105,279 147 1.1x
Auburn, WA 85,455 134 1.0x
Puyallup, WA 42,642 135 1.0x
Des Moines, WA 32,545 137 1.0x
SeaTac, WA 31,143 132 1.0x
Covington, WA 20,957 139 1.0x
Lakeland North, WA 14,664 136 1.0x
Lake Tapps, WA 12,360 145 1.1x
Gig Harbor, WA 12,202 154 1.1x

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