CostIndexUSA

Albany, NY vs Olympia, WA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableNY
Albany
99.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
WA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent

Albany is slightly cheaper than Olympia — 4.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Albany, you would need $83,300 in Olympia. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+13.7%
Albany
102.6
Olympia
116.7
🛒 Groceries+5.3%
Albany
99.7
Olympia
105
🚗 Transportation+1.8%
Albany
102.6
Olympia
104.4
🏥 Healthcare+1.7%
Albany
92.9
Olympia
94.5
Utilities31.6%
Albany
134
Olympia
91.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Albany to see what you'd need to earn in Olympia to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Olympia, WA
$83,300
$3,300 more needed in Olympia

Formula: salary × (103.7 ÷ 99.6) = salary × 1.0412. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albany, NY

Median Home Price
$350,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
102.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

Olympia, WA

Median Home Price
$518,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,025
Housing Index
116.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.3×

Olympia has 13.7% higher housing costs compared to Albany.

Income & Job Market

Albany, NY

Median Household Income
$82,400
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
98,111
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationFinanceTechnology

Olympia, WA

Median Household Income
$93,200
Per Capita Income
$53,100
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
53,532
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationRetailManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Albany, NY
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Olympia, WA
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.