CostIndexUSA

Olympia, WA vs Riverside, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableWA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent
CA
Riverside
106.4
overall index
$2,475/mo rent

Olympia is slightly cheaper than Riverside — 2.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Olympia, you would need $82,100 in Riverside. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+10.8%
Olympia
116.7
Riverside
129.3
🛒 Groceries3.4%
Olympia
105
Riverside
101.4
🚗 Transportation+1.8%
Olympia
104.4
Riverside
106.3
🏥 Healthcare+1.8%
Olympia
94.5
Riverside
96.2
Utilities+62.1%
Olympia
91.7
Riverside
148.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Riverside, CA
$82,100
$2,100 more needed in Riverside

Formula: salary × (106.4 ÷ 103.7) = salary × 1.0260. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Olympia, WA

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

Riverside, CA

Median Home Price
$576,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,475
Housing Index
129.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

Riverside has 10.8% higher housing costs compared to Olympia.

Income & Job Market

Olympia, WA

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

Riverside, CA

Median Household Income
$87,800
Per Capita Income
$50,000
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
314,998
Top Industries
HealthcareLogisticsManufacturingEducationRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

Olympia, WA
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Riverside, CA
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

66% 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.