Moving from Rochester to Seattle
You'd keep $394 more a month in Seattle
+$4,728 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
Rochester leftover
$2,983
a month after tax and rent
Seattle leftover
$3,377
+$394 vs Rochester
| Per month | Rochester | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,250 | $9,340 | +$1,090 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,186 | $2,070 | −$116 |
| Take-home pay | $6,064 | $7,269 | +$1,206 |
| Rent | $1,344 | $1,761 | +$417 |
| Getting around | $461 | $493 | +$32 |
| Groceries | $352 | $452 | +$100 |
| Healthcare | $396 | $508 | +$112 |
| Utilities | $220 | $283 | +$63 |
| Everything else | $308 | $395 | +$87 |
| Left over | $2,983 | $3,377 | +$394 |
To break even in Seattle, you'd need to earn
$105,500
Household gross, versus $99,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Rochester does now.
The tax difference alone
+$5,269
A year, in state and local income tax. Washington has no wage income tax.
More about Seattle
Rochester, MN in full
State income tax topping out at 9.85%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,600 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
Seattle, WA in full
No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Seattle on Seattle wages.
Seattle → Rochester →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Seattle than Rochester?
A one-bedroom is about $1,344 in Rochester versus $1,761 in Seattle. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $394 a month higher in Seattle. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Seattle have state income tax?
Seattle is in Washington, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Rochester to Seattle?
Take-home pay is recalculated under Washington tax, rent is priced at the same bedroom count, and leftover is the gap. The from-to page also lists IRS households that already made the move, when that data exists.
Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.