Federal Way, WA vs Hillsboro, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Hillsboro, OR has a modeled overall cost index 12.6% higher than Federal Way, WA.

Federal Way, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,255 / month
Hillsboro, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $2,120 / 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 Federal Way, WA and Hillsboro, OR 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 Federal Way, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $753/month in Hillsboro, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,035 in Hillsboro, OR

Regional cost estimates: Federal Way, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Hillsboro, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 12.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$753

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$9.0K

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.

Federal Way, WA

Population:98K

Cost Index:

111.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$575K

Hillsboro, OR

Population:108K

Cost Index:

125.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$524K

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Federal Way, WA

The Evergreen State

98K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 98K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Hillsboro, OR

The Beaver State

108K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 108K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Federal Way, WA vs Hillsboro, OR

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	Federal Way, WA	Hillsboro, OR	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,551/mo	$3,449/mo	↑ $898more	35.2%
Other	$1,366/mo	$1,568/mo	↑ $202more	14.8%
Transportation	$1,581/mo	$1,402/mo	↓ $179less	11.3%
Healthcare	$692/mo	$551/mo	↓ $141less	20.4%
Groceries	$906/mo	$888/mo	↓ $18.12less	2.0%
All Utilities	$404/mo	$395/mo	↓ $8.92less	2.2%

Housing

↑ 35.2%

Federal Way, WA

$2,551

Hillsboro, OR

$3,449

Difference

$898

Other

↑ 14.8%

Federal Way, WA

$1,366

Hillsboro, OR

$1,568

Difference

$202

Transportation

↓ 11.3%

Federal Way, WA

$1,581

Hillsboro, OR

$1,402

Difference

$179

less

Healthcare

↓ 20.4%

Federal Way, WA

$692

Hillsboro, OR

$551

Difference

$141

less

Groceries

↓ 2.0%

Federal Way, WA

$906

Hillsboro, OR

$888

Difference

$18.12

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.2%

Federal Way, WA

$404

Hillsboro, OR

$395

Difference

$8.92

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,870

To$1,735

↓ $135

1 Bed

From$1,935

To$1,850

↓ $85.00

2 Bed

From$2,255

To$2,120

↓ $135

3 Bed

From$2,955

To$2,890

↓ $65.00

Federal Way, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,880–$1,990/mo

Hillsboro, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,730–$1,970/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 Federal Way, WA

$8,253

Monthly in Hillsboro, OR

$753

Difference

Home Values

Federal Way

Hillsboro

$575K

Median Value

$524K

↓ -1.6%

YoY Change

↓ -3.6%

↑ +28.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +19.7%

$549K - $601K

Price Range

$517K - $531K

Homes in Hillsboro are 9% less expensive than Federal Way

Calculate payment - Federal Way Calculate payment - Hillsboro

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $15.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$1,293

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Federal Way, 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

Hillsboro, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Additional Tax Information

Federal Way, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Hillsboro, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

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

Federal Way

Hillsboro

44 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

85%

99 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Federal Way, WA to Hillsboro, OR

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Hillsboro, OR for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Federal Way, 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 Federal Way to Hillsboro moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Federal Way, WA vs Hillsboro, OR

How do the cost estimates for Federal Way, WA and Hillsboro, OR compare?

Hillsboro, OR has a modeled overall cost index 12.6% higher than Federal Way, 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 Federal Way, WA, the model estimates $159,035 in Hillsboro, OR. 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 Federal Way, WA and Hillsboro, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,255/month in Federal Way, WA and $2,120/month in Hillsboro, OR. 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.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Washington and Oregon on TaxTakeHome.com