Cost of living in Bellevue: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Bellevue is 11.1% above the US average, according to BEA's 2024 regional price parity figure (RPP) for the metro area of Seattle, WA: 111.1, against 100 for the US, and 151.3 for housing alone.
- Overall prices
- 111.1US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 151.3 for rents, with the US at 100.
Cost of living index for Bellevue
With the US average set at 100, a regional price parity compares that figure with what the same goods and services cost in one place. Bellevue is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, which BEA prices as a single region. Housing (rents) is the part furthest from the US average, at 151.3, or 51.3% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Seattle, WA metro | Washington | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 111.1 | 107.0 | +11.1% |
| Goods | 104.0 | 104.4 | +4.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 151.3 | 126.0 | +51.3% |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 92.9 | −7.2% |
| Other services | 106.8 | 103.9 | +6.8% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 figures on price parity for each metro area and state. BEA regional price parities
Rents in Bellevue
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Bellevue at $2,759 a month. It covers homes listed now, and sits +1.6% on a year. The US figure is $1,932. Census puts median gross rent at $2,496. That measure counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 21% of the median household income.
| Rent | Bellevue | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,759 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.6% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $2,496 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for one year, as a share of median income | 21% | 28% |
Sources: Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, with one-year estimates, plus the Zillow Observed Rent Index.
What homes cost in Bellevue
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put the value of a typical home in Bellevue at $1,386,450. That index measures values for homes near the middle of the market. That figure is −4.4% on a year, compared with $366,157 in the US. That works out to 8.6 years of median household income; the US figure is 4.5.
| Home prices | Bellevue | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $1,386,450 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −4.4% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +101.9% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 8.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 41.9 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Bellevue housing market.
The salary you need in Bellevue
How much you earn and where you live are the two questions behind the Bellevue salary that buys what your pay buys now.
- Moving away from
- Salary
The method plus each city, side by side: city cost of living comparison.
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Bellevue cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Overall prices | Housing | Rent for a typical home | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | 111.1 | 151.3 | $2,759 | $1,386,450 |
| Seattle | 111.1 | 151.3 | $2,227 | $822,572 |
| Spokane | 100.3 | 97.1 | $1,483 | $392,803 |
| Vancouver | 105.4 | 125.1 | $1,803 | $498,160 |
| Olympia | 103.7 | 116.7 | $1,969 | $526,205 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024), with the US set at 100. Rent figures: Zillow ZORI. Zillow ZHVI, September 2026, home value.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison by city. State by state: cost of living by state.