CostIndexUSA

Bellingham, WA vs Gilbert, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWA
Bellingham
103.3
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
AZ
Gilbert
103.3
overall index
$1,725/mo rent

Bellingham and Gilbert have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+7.4%
Bellingham
112.9
Gilbert
121.2
🛒 Groceries9.5%
Bellingham
105
Gilbert
95
🚗 Transportation+4.6%
Bellingham
104.4
Gilbert
109.2
🏥 Healthcare+4.6%
Bellingham
94.5
Gilbert
98.8
Utilities6.6%
Bellingham
99.9
Gilbert
93.3

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Gilbert, AZ
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (103.3 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Home Price
$598,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
112.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.6×

Gilbert, AZ

Median Home Price
$442,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
121.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.4×

Gilbert has 7.4% higher housing costs compared to Bellingham.

Income & Job Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Household Income
$74,900
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
92,314
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingTourism

Gilbert, AZ

Median Household Income
$85,700
Per Capita Income
$48,800
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
254,114
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareFinanceManufacturingRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

Bellingham, WA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Gilbert, AZ
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% 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.