City profile
Washington, DC cost of living
DC · BLS RPP 111.3
Overall RPP
111.3
US = 100
Housing RPP
156.3
Housing component
Goods RPP
107.2
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$2,045/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Washington, DC sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#11 of 67
+11.3 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+12.9
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#13 of 67
+439/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Washington, DC
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Washington, DC metro.
Moved in
371,589
people · 224,637 households
Moved out
417,335
people · 247,437 households
Net
−45,746
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#61 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
-45,642
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 2% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Anne Arundel County, MD 6,160
- Howard County, MD 4,963
- Baltimore County, MD 3,235
- Baltimore city, MD 2,967
- Los Angeles County, CA 2,917
Where residents moved to
- Anne Arundel County, MD 10,053
- Howard County, MD 6,681
- Baltimore city, MD 3,883
- Baltimore County, MD 3,532
- Washington County, MD 3,345
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Washington, DC?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Washington, DC | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $55,650 | $50,000 x (111.3/100) |
| $75,000 | $83,475 | $75,000 x (111.3/100) |
| $100,000 | $111,300 | $100,000 x (111.3/100) |
| $125,000 | $139,125 | $125,000 x (111.3/100) |
| $150,000 | $166,950 | $150,000 x (111.3/100) |
| $200,000 | $222,600 | $200,000 x (111.3/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
DC income tax 4%-10.75%. MD and VA suburbs have own state taxes.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Washington, DC?
- Washington, DC has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 111.3 (US average = 100). It is 11.3% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Washington, DC?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $111,300 in Washington, DC to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Washington, DC?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Washington, DC is approximately $2,045 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Washington, DC?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 371,589 people moved into the Washington, DC metro and 417,335 moved out — a net loss of roughly 45,746 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Anne Arundel County, MD.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Washington, DC, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Washington, DC
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