University Place, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In University Place, WA Summary

Cost of living in University Place 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 University Place 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 University Place is 135, with 100 being the average.

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

  • University Place ranks as the #107 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • University Place ranks as the #5,216 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in University Place is $653,248.

  • The median income in University Place is $94,952.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
135
University Place's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in University Place, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, University Place has an overall cost of living index of 135, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, University Place has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in University Place ranks as #107 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies University Place ranks as the #85 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in University Place, check out:

107 out of 192
In Washington
5,216 out of 6,489
In America

University Place Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in University Place is 115.

  • The Groceries index in University Place is 111.

  • The Health index in University Place is 126.

  • The Housing index in University Place is 186.

  • The Transportation index in University Place is 124.

  • The Utilities index in University Place is 95.

Living Expense University Place Washington National Average
Overall 135 118 100
Services 115 111 100
Groceries 111 112 100
Health 126 122 100
Housing 186 135 100
Transportation 124 124 100
Utilities 95 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
University Place Cost of Living Vs. WA

University Place, 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 University Place is $653,248.

  • The Median Rent in University Place is $1,664.

  • The Median Income in University Place is $94,952.

  • The Home Value To Income in University Place is 6.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in University Place is 0.21x.

Statistic University Place Washington United States
Median Home Value $653,248 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,664 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $94,952 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.9x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.21x 0.21x
$653,248
Median Home Value
$1,664
Median Rent
$94,952
Median Income

University Place, WA Costs By Category

Detailed University Place Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item University Place 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 University Place Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item University Place 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 University Place Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item University Place Washington
Optometrist $191.81 $125.68
Doctor $192.99 $135.78
Dentist $127.12 $113.29

Detailed University Place Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item University Place Washington
Gasoline $4.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $78.74 $59.92

Detailed University Place Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item University Place Washington
All Electricity $169.3 $193.99
Phone $204.78 $192.25

University Place SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around University Place

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around University Place. 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, 1.0x University Place.

  • Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 127, 0.9x University Place.

  • Parkland, WA has a cost of living index of 122, 0.9x University Place.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. University Place
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 1.0x
Lakewood, WA 63,034 127 0.9x
Parkland, WA 39,174 122 0.9x
Gig Harbor, WA 12,202 154 1.1x
Fife, WA 10,902 133 1.0x
Sumner, WA 10,674 134 1.0x
Yelm, WA 10,618 123 0.9x
Summit View, WA 9,014 129 1.0x
Midland, WA 8,676 118 0.9x
Fircrest, WA 7,082 135 1.0x

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