F
108%
Overall NAT. AVG.
25%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
314%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Sammamish Washington National
Cost of living208118100
Goods & Services125110100
Groceries111108100
Health care120109100
Housing414138100
Transportation134123100
Utilities10097100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Sammamish, WA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Sammamish? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Sammamish stands at 208, making it 108% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If you prioritize affordability when seeking a new place to live, Sammamish may not be your ideal choice, as it ranks among the most expensive locations in the entire United States. A very small amount of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Sammamish falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Sammamish, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 313.7% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Sammamish, these items will cost you 24.6% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Sammamish does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 11% higher than the national average.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Sammamish?

The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 11 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Sammamish. The feedback revealed that 18% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 82% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.

Is Sammamish Affordable?

Is Sammamish an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Sammamish, the median home price is 382.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 152.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Sammamish come in at $265,841, which is 226.9% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Sammamish?

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Sammamish, the groceries index is 11% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In Sammamish, the healthcare costs are 20% higher than the national average.

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Sammamish, the transportation index is 34.4% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Sammamish cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Sammamish is 76% higher than the Washington average
  • The cost of living in Sammamish is 108% higher than the national average
  • Sammamish housing is 314% higher than the national average
  • Washington general sales tax is 27% higher than the national average
  • Washington state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Sammamish

See all the best places to live around Sammamish

Compare Sammamish, WA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$296,340$24,695$6,914$8,891
      Renters$186,884$15,574$4,360$5,607
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Sammamish, WA, as well as what the overall cost of living might be. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payments and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Sammamish, homeowners have a median income of $296,340. Using that number, a maximum of $6,914 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $186,884, which means there is a maximum of $4,360 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      Washington Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Washington 6.5% 10.4%

      Washington Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Washington 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      Haircut $52.70$27.6290.8%
      Beauty Salon $90.63$51.1177.3%
      Toothpaste $3.99$4.092.5%
      Shampoo $1.49$1.543.4%
      Movie $16.66$12.8829.4%
      Yoga $25.75$19.6631.0%

      Groceries

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.11$7.705.3%
      Fried Chicken $2.89$1.6673.9%
      Milk $4.89$4.733.3%
      Potatoes $4.43$5.2615.7%
      Pizza $15.74$12.7623.3%
      Beer $12.31$10.5516.7%

      Health Care

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $228.39$140.0663.1%
      Doctor $204.97$153.8233.3%
      Dentist $154.18$123.1525.2%
      Ibuprofen $12.60$11.737.4%
      Lipitor $19.72$23.6116.5%

      Housing

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      Home Price $1,576,815.00$326,622.00382.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,300.43$2,480.25113.7%
      Apartment Rent $3,645.00$1,444.00152.4%

      Transportation

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.33$3.0641.8%
      Tire Balancing $76.04$65.2116.6%

      Utilities

      Item Sammamish National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $211.87$220.123.7%
      Phone $209.52$195.717.1%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Fairwood CDP (Spokane County), WA8,33111818.3%
      Tukwila, WA20,71013232.4%
      SeaTac, WA30,18613635.8%
      Des Moines, WA32,69114040.3%
      Kent, WA134,34914140.6%
      Sammamish, WA67,314208107.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Madera, CA67,33011817.9%
      Rowlett, TX67,20611817.7%
      Santa Cruz, CA67,016209109.4%
      Laguna Niguel, CA67,631206105.8%
      Bayonne, NJ66,96312525.2%
      Sammamish, WA67,314208107.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.