CostIndexUSA

Mesa, AZ vs Olympia, WA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostAZ
Mesa
103.3
overall index
$1,725/mo rent
WA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent

Mesa and Olympia have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing3.7%
Mesa
121.2
Olympia
116.7
🛒 Groceries+10.5%
Mesa
95
Olympia
105
🚗 Transportation4.4%
Mesa
109.2
Olympia
104.4
🏥 Healthcare4.4%
Mesa
98.8
Olympia
94.5
Utilities1.7%
Mesa
93.3
Olympia
91.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Olympia, WA
$80,300
$300 more needed in Olympia

Formula: salary × (103.7 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 1.0039. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Mesa, AZ

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

Olympia, WA

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

Mesa has 3.7% lower housing costs compared to Olympia.

Income & Job Market

Mesa, AZ

Median Household Income
$85,700
Per Capita Income
$48,800
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
518,012
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareRetailManufacturingAerospace

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).

Mesa, AZ
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% 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.