Cost Of Living In Washington DC: Washington, DC is a beautiful place to live, and being a major metropolitan area in the United States, many want to move here. This Capital City offers many facilities to its residents and has several tourist attractions as well. If you are also planning to Move to Washington, DC, there are a few things you need to know, especially the cost of living, to live comfortably out there. To help you out we will discuss about the cost of living in Washington, DC in 2022.
Cost Of Living In Washington, DC In 2022
Cost Of Living In Washington, DC In 2022 is 39% higher than the National Average. the Cost of Living in any Area can vary based on various factors including Your Career, Average Salary, and the Real Estate Market of that Area. The Housing Expenses of Washington, DC are 148% higher than the National Average and Utility Prices are 3% lower than the National Average. The Grocery Prices in Washington, DC are 10% higher than the National Average. Healthcare in Washington, DC is 3% lower than the National Average.
Food Cost
Dining out in the Washington, DC area is honestly very costly, mainly if you are planning to go out for a dinner. A full-service restaurant will cost you $40 (per person) for the meal, which doesn’t include alcohol or tip. A basic dinner for two people in a neighborhood pub will cost $53. Meanwhile, if you are planning to go out for lunch, then it will be less expensive than dinner. On average, you will have to pay around $15 for the meal.
In addition to that, there’s a 10 percent sales tax which is added to restaurant meals and takeout. This tax is considerably higher than the usual sales tax which is only 6 percent on most of the other items. Now talking about the grocery stores located in D.C., the citizens have to pay 10 percent more as compared to the national average cost. The average grocery bill in Washington is $304 on monthly basis.
Transportation Cost
The cost of 1 liter or 1/4 gallon of gas in Washington, D.C. is of $0.73. Your ticket cost for using public transport on monthly basis will be of $138. If you are taking a taxi for traveling on a business day, then it will cost you $21 for the basic tariff (8 km or 5 miles).
Clothing
You can get 1 pair of jeans from levis 501 or a similar brand in Washington, D.C. for $46. Likewise, pair of sports shoes from famous brands like Nike, Adidas, etc. will cost you $90. The cost of men’s leather business shoes for one pair is $122. Buying a summer dress from a high street store like Zara, h&m, etc. will cost you $41.
Monthly Rent
Now talking about your monthly rent cost in Washington, DC City Centre, it will cost you $2,284.85 for a one-bedroom apartment. For a one-bedroom apartment located outside of the Centre, you will have to pay the monthly rent of $1,801.77. If you are looking for a three bedrooms apartment in City Centre, then the monthly rent will be of $4,161.90. For the three bedrooms apartment outside of the Centre, the monthly rent will cost you $3,070.45.
Buying An Apartment
If you want to buy an apartment in City Centre, then the price per square meter is $8,324.65. However, if you to buy an apartment outside of the Centre then the price per square meter is $3,703.70.
Personal Care
Cold medicines (for 6 days) from the brand like coldrex, Tylenol, etc. will cost you $7. You can get one box of antibiotics for $19 and the box includes 12 doses. If you want a short visit to a private doctor in D.C. then it will cost you $108. Some other personal care items like tampons (1 box), toilet paper rolls (4), toothpaste, deodorant (50ml) will cost you $7, $4.72, $2.29, $4.24, respectively.
Other Expenses to Consider in DC
If you are moving into a new city, you must also know about the hidden costs that you will need to pay while you stay in that locality. Fortunately, these categories include such costs that might fall into your budget. At the same time, it is still very significant to consider how these costs may change on the basis of your new location. Here is the list of some additional costs that are very much considerable in Washington, DC.
Monthly Utilities: Talking about the average cost of internet in DC is around $62. On the other hand, the cost can be higher based on your selected quality of service. If we look at the basic water, electricity, cooling, heating, garbage services, it cost around $155.78 in DC.
Childcare: The average cost of childcare in Preschool or Kindergarten in DC is $ 1,846.08 (per child). While the average cost of an International Primary School on annual basis is $ 36,554.00 (for one Child).
Taxes: Other than monthly utilities and childcare costs, people living in DC also need to pay the federal income tax. They are bound to pay tax in spite of not being given complete statehood along with having a non-voting Congress representative as well. In addition to this, the residents are also asked to pay a District Income Tax, sales tax, as well as property taxes.
Sports & Leisure: If you want to join any fitness club, it is going to cost you $84.69 (for one adult) on average. If you will rent a tennis court for one Hour on weekend, it will cost you $14.00. For entertainment, if you want to go to the cinema to enjoy an international release, then one seat will cost you $14.00 on average. The theater tickets for two (best seats) will be of $263.
How Much I Need To Earn To Live Comfortably in DC?
As per the Census Bureau, the annual salary you need to live in DC is $86,420 or $41.55 hourly, particularly if you want to live in the metro area. One must take note that it is very important to estimate your personal costs for determining the true income that you should earn for comfortably living in the Washington, DC area. The 30% rule is best to follow if you want to live in Washington, DC without any financial inconvenience.
The rule states that your housing cost should not exceed 30 percent of your monthly wages before taxes. If you are planning to live in a one-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC then you must earn at least $5,451 or $65,412 on a monthly or annually basis, respectively before taxes as the rent may cost you $1,817. But, if you are planning to live with your friend or a roommate then the two can split the rent and make a drastic cut to the cost of DC’s costly rents.
Final Words
This was all about the cost of living in Washington, DC (2022). If you are living in DC, you know that it can get expensive if you don’t stay within your budget. However, it also doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the entertainment stuff. Meanwhile, you can take advantage of some free entertainment such as free concerts, parks, museums, performances, and much more.