Renton, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Renton, WA Summary

Cost of living in Renton 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 Renton 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 Renton is 147, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Renton is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Renton ranks as the #148 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Renton ranks as the #5,616 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Renton is $746,524.

  • The median income in Renton is $96,626.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
147
Renton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Renton, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Renton has an overall cost of living index of 147, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Renton ranks as #148 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Renton ranks as the #44 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Renton, check out:

148 out of 192
In Washington
5,616 out of 6,489
In America

Renton Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Renton is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Renton is 114.

  • The Health index in Renton is 114.

  • The Housing index in Renton is 220.

  • The Transportation index in Renton is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Renton is 99.

Living Expense Renton Washington National Average
Overall 147 118 100
Services 115 111 100
Groceries 114 112 100
Health 114 122 100
Housing 220 135 100
Transportation 126 124 100
Utilities 99 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Renton Cost of Living Vs. WA

Renton, 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 Renton is $746,524.

  • The Median Rent in Renton is $1,923.

  • The Median Income in Renton is $96,626.

  • The Home Value To Income in Renton is 7.7x.

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

Statistic Renton Washington United States
Median Home Value $746,524 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,923 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $96,626 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.7x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.21x 0.21x
$746,524
Median Home Value
$1,923
Median Rent
$96,626
Median Income

Renton, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Renton Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Renton 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 Renton Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Renton 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 Renton Health Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Renton Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Renton Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

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

Renton SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Renton

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

  • Kent, WA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.9x Renton.

  • SeaTac, WA has a cost of living index of 132, 0.9x Renton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Renton
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 0.9x
Kent, WA 135,015 137 0.9x
SeaTac, WA 31,143 132 0.9x
Mercer Island, WA 25,282 263 1.8x
Bainbridge Island, WA 24,607 185 1.3x
Bonney Lake, WA 22,776 136 0.9x
Tukwila, WA 21,479 129 0.9x
Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA 17,577 145 1.0x
Newcastle, WA 12,945 186 1.3x
Lake Tapps, WA 12,360 145 1.0x

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