FILE – Sunset in Seattle

(The Center Square) – The average Seattle household pays $3,049 per month in bills, according to a recent report from doxo, which is a 5% increase from 2023. Last year, the average monthly amount spent on the 10 most common bills was $2,912.

“Not surprisingly, Seattle’s growth number is a little bit more than the national average which saw a 4% growth overall,” doxo Insights Senior Director Liz Powell told the Center Square in an email.

Powell further explained that housing – including rent and mortgages – are what drives up the cost of living in most places, including Seattle. The average amount Seattleites spend on rent and mortgages grew 8% and 11%, respectively. 

Seattle residents now pay an average of $1,914 per month on rent, whereas the national average is $1,300.

Seattle residents are spending $2,793 per month on mortgages, whereas the national average is $1,402, according to the report.

Despite Seattle being the most populated city in Washington state, the city ranks 19th on the list of most expensive places to live in Washington. The top three most expensive cities in Washington are Sammamish, Snoqualmie and Woodinville, followed by Redmond, Bothell and Issaquah.

Comparing Seattle’s average household bills to other major West Coast cities puts the Emerald City in the middle of the pack. San Francisco leads West Coast cities with households spending an average of $3,359, followed by Los Angeles at $3,113 and Seattle at $3,049. Portland ranks fourth with households spending an average of $2,758.