Mercer Island, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mercer Island, WA Summary

Cost of living in Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island is 263, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mercer Island is 2.6x higher than the national average.

  • Mercer Island ranks as the #192 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Mercer Island ranks as the #6,439 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mercer Island is $2,263,983.

  • The median income in Mercer Island is $202,359.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
263
Mercer Island's Overall Cost Of Living
2.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mercer Island, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mercer Island has an overall cost of living index of 263, which is 2.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Mercer Island has a cost of living index that's 2.2x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Mercer Island ranks as #192 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Mercer Island ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Mercer Island, check out:

192 out of 192
In Washington
6,439 out of 6,489
In America

Mercer Island Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Mercer Island is 121.

  • The Groceries index in Mercer Island is 115.

  • The Health index in Mercer Island is 139.

  • The Housing index in Mercer Island is 595.

  • The Transportation index in Mercer Island is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Mercer Island is 104.

Living Expense Mercer Island Washington National Average
Overall 263 118 100
Services 121 111 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 139 122 100
Housing 595 135 100
Transportation 130 124 100
Utilities 104 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Mercer Island Cost of Living Vs. WA

Mercer Island, 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 Mercer Island is $2,263,983.

  • The Median Rent in Mercer Island is $2,464.

  • The Median Income in Mercer Island is $202,359.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mercer Island is 11.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mercer Island is 0.15x.

Statistic Mercer Island Washington United States
Median Home Value $2,263,983 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $2,464 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $202,359 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 11.2x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.21x 0.21x
$2,263,983
Median Home Value
$2,464
Median Rent
$202,359
Median Income

Mercer Island, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Mercer Island Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Mercer Island Washington
Shampoo $1.4 $1.28
Movie $16.37 $12.13
Bowling $21.59 $18
Haircut $50.2 $24.26
Beauty Salon $72.25 $45.56

Detailed Mercer Island Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Mercer Island Washington
Ground Beef $5.54 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.55 $1.57
Milk $5.1 $4.67
Potatoes $4.49 $4.93
Pizza $14.4 $12.09
Beer $12.14 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.96 $3.7

Detailed Mercer Island Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Mercer Island Washington
Optometrist $198.49 $125.68
Doctor $236.25 $135.78
Dentist $149.39 $113.29

Detailed Mercer Island Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Mercer Island Washington
Gasoline $4.66 $3.46
Tire Balancing $67.2 $59.92

Detailed Mercer Island Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Mercer Island Washington
All Electricity $193.41 $193.99
Phone $202.97 $192.25

Mercer Island SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mercer Island

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

  • Bellevue, WA has a cost of living index of 202, 0.8x Mercer Island.

  • Kent, WA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.5x Mercer Island.

  • Renton, WA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.6x Mercer Island.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mercer Island
Bellevue, WA 151,199 202 0.8x
Kent, WA 135,015 137 0.5x
Renton, WA 105,279 147 0.6x
Auburn, WA 85,455 134 0.5x
SeaTac, WA 31,143 132 0.5x
Bainbridge Island, WA 24,607 185 0.7x
Tukwila, WA 21,479 129 0.5x
Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA 17,577 145 0.6x
Port Orchard, WA 16,398 135 0.5x
White Center, WA 15,017 145 0.6x

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