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Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
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Des Moines skyline
Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ). CC BY-SA 2.5. Photo source · License
Seattle skyline
C. P. Johnston Co., Seattle, Washington. Public domain. Photo source · License

Des Moines vs Seattle

$498/mo more in Seattle

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
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Des MoinesSeattleAbout 1,432 miles apart, a flight.

  • Seattle leaves you more
  • No state income tax
  • Rent under 30% of pay

Same paycheck, two cities. $3,405/mo in Seattle. $2,907/mo in Des Moines. +$5,976 a year.

Des Moines

$2,907

left each month

Seattle

$3,405

+$498 vs Des Moines

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Seattle wins 2 of 4Des Moines 2 · ties 0
$5,736Take-home · Seattle$7,294
$991Rent · Des Moines$1,758
$1,838Other bills · Des Moines$2,131
$2,907Left over · Seattle$3,405

Next

In 2022-2023, 77 households moved Des Moines → Seattle (avg AGI $49,792). 32 went the other way. The whole move →

+$498 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthDes MoinesSeattle
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Seattle · this breakdownDes Moines · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Des Moines, IA and Seattle, WA
Per monthDes MoinesSeattleDifference
Gross pay$7,500$9,375+$1,875
Income and payroll tax$1,764$2,081+$317
Take-home pay$5,736$7,294+$1,558
Rent$991$1,758+$767
Getting around$533$493−$40
Groceries$360$452+$92
Healthcare$405$508+$103
Utilities$225$283+$58
Everything else$315$395+$80
Left over$2,907$3,405+$498

Salary to match Des Moines

$104,000

Gross pay in Seattle that leaves the same amount as $90,000 in Des Moines.

Tax difference

+$2,865

A year, in state and local income tax. Washington has no wage income tax.

More about Seattle

Des Moines, IA in full

Insurance-sector wages against the lowest housing costs on this list.

Seattle, WA in full

No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.

The other way

Start in Seattle.

Seattle → Des Moines →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Seattle than Des Moines?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Seattle leaves about $498 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $991 in Des Moines and $1,758 in Seattle.

Does Seattle have state income tax?

Seattle is in Washington, which has no state income tax.

What changes if you move from Des Moines to Seattle?

The paycheck is taxed in Washington. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Des Moines and Seattle changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.