Moving to United States from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to United States, you would find that United States is 4.8% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $84,146 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and United States.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $84,146
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.0% less
Groceries
pay 1.2% less
Transportation
pay 7.1% less
Housing
pay 2.3% less
Childcare
pay 12.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in United States cost about 17% more than cities in Washington.
Compare cities head-to-head
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Washington.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Washington performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Washington performs better than United States across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United States performs significantly better than Washington across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in United States than Washington?
On average United States is around 12% pricier than Washington, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $21,036 for 3 months in United States (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
From major United States cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Washington and United States are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Washington?
Washington performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in United States compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
Both Washington and United States share the same official language: English.
