Moving from New York, NY to Seattle, WA
New York to Seattle is a move of about 2,985 miles. Median rent is $2,000 a month in Seattle and $1,830 in New York, and the median home is $717,500 against $614,200. Seattle has no state income tax, against up to 10.90% in New York. Property tax runs 0.85% of home value in Seattle and 1.63% in New York.
Moving to Seattle costs about
$470/mo
less than New York each month, renting on a $80,000 household income
Not your income? Run it on your own numbers
Worth knowing
Seattle costs less overall, even though housing costs more
Housing runs about $170 a month more in Seattle, yet the move still works out roughly $470 a month cheaper once taxes and everyday costs are counted. The house is the expensive part; everything else is not.
New York vs Seattle at a glance
| New York | Seattle | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $614,200 | $717,500 |
| Median rent | $1,830/mo | $2,000/mo |
| State income tax | Up to 10.90% | No state income tax |
| Property tax rate | 1.63% | 0.85% |
| Groceries, gas & goods | 110 | 104 |
| Utilities | 127 | 93 |
Price levels are indexes where 100 is the national average. They cover everyday spending only; housing is the two rows above.
Monthly cost of living: New York vs Seattle
| Monthly | New York | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Housing (median rent) | $1,830 | $2,000 | +$170 |
| Taxes | |||
| State income taxBiggest factor | $316 | $0 | -$316 |
| Local income tax (state average) | $109 | None | -$109 |
| Sales tax (on everyday spending) | $66 | $103 | +$37 |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Groceries, gas & goods | $2,021 | $1,906 | -$115 |
| Utilities | $519 | $379 | -$140 |
| Total | -$473 | ||
Cost to move from New York to Seattle
$4,500 to $9,500
From a container you load yourself up to full-service movers.
Shipping one car adds about $1,150 to $1,550, against roughly $1,000 in fuel and lodging to drive it the 6-day trip yourself.
Housing and everyday prices here are for the metro area. Income and sales tax are set by state law and have no metro equivalent, so those come from New York and Washington. Compare the whole states instead to see how each metro sits against the state it is in.
Run this with your own numbers
What jobs pay in Seattle, after the cost of living
Estimates only, not advice. Housing and income figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024); price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024); tax rates are for the 2026 tax year, compiled from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Moving costs are modelled from published ranges rather than quoted. Housing and price figures are metro-area medians or averages; income and sales tax are statewide. Neither will match any particular household.