Auburn, WA vs Richland, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Richland, WA has a modeled overall cost index 15.6% lower than Auburn, WA.

Auburn, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,160 / month
Richland, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,760 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Auburn, WA and Richland, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Auburn, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $880/month in Richland, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $139,435 in Richland, WA

Regional cost estimates: Auburn, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Richland, WA uses Spokane, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$880

Savings

Annual Impact

$10.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Auburn, WA

Population:84K

Cost Index:

110.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$479K

Richland, WA

Population:64K

Cost Index:

93.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$492K

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Auburn, WA

The Evergreen State

84K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 84K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Richland, WA

The Evergreen State

64K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 64K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Auburn, WA vs Richland, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Auburn, WA	Richland, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,550/mo	$1,739/mo	↓ $811less	31.8%
Other	$1,365/mo	$1,286/mo	↓ $78.86less	5.8%
Transportation	$1,580/mo	$1,586/mo	↑ $5.82more	0.4%
Groceries	$908/mo	$909/mo	↑ $1.67more	0.2%
Healthcare	$693/mo	$694/mo	↑ $1.28more	0.2%
All Utilities	$404/mo	$405/mo	↑ $0.74more	0.2%

Housing

↓ 31.8%

Auburn, WA

$2,550

Richland, WA

$1,739

Difference

$811

less

Other

↓ 5.8%

Auburn, WA

$1,365

Richland, WA

$1,286

Difference

$78.86

less

Transportation

↑ 0.4%

Auburn, WA

$1,580

Richland, WA

$1,586

Difference

$5.82

Groceries

↑ 0.2%

Auburn, WA

$908

Richland, WA

$909

Difference

$1.67

Healthcare

↑ 0.2%

Auburn, WA

$693

Richland, WA

$694

Difference

$1.28

All Utilities

↑ 0.2%

Auburn, WA

$404

Richland, WA

$405

Difference

$0.74

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,800

To$1,280

↓ $520

1 Bed

From$1,850

To$1,450

↓ $400

2 Bed

From$2,160

To$1,760

↓ $400

3 Bed

From$2,850

To$2,370

↓ $480

Auburn, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,850–$1,850/mo

Richland, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,450–$1,450/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Auburn, WA

$6,620

Monthly in Richland, WA

$880

Difference

Home Values

Auburn

Richland

$479K

Median Value

$492K

↓ -2.1%

YoY Change

↑ +0.1%

↑ +24.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.4%

Homes in Richland are 3% more expensive than Auburn

Calculate payment - Auburn Calculate payment - Richland

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Auburn, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Richland, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Auburn, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Richland, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Auburn

Richland

44 Good

Air Quality

38 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

76.5%

99 High

Climate Risk

90 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

💨

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

23 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

23 days

Before moving from Auburn, WA to Richland, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Richland, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Auburn, WA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Auburn to Richland moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Richland, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Auburn, WA vs Richland, WA

How do the cost estimates for Auburn, WA and Richland, WA compare?

Richland, WA has a modeled overall cost index 15.6% lower than Auburn, WA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Auburn, WA, the model estimates $139,435 in Richland, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Auburn, WA and Richland, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,160/month in Auburn, WA and $1,760/month in Richland, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.