Monterey Park, CA vs Washington, DC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Washington, DC has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Monterey Park, CA.

Monterey Park, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,365 / month
Washington, DC · modeled 2BR rent: $2,470 / 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 Monterey Park, CA and Washington, DC 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 Monterey Park, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $138/month in Washington, DC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $151,652 in Washington, DC

Regional cost estimates: Monterey Park, CA uses Los Angeles, CA. Washington, DC uses Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$138

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$1.7K

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.

Monterey Park, CA

Population:58K

Cost Index:

157.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$907K

Washington, DC

Population:690K

Cost Index:

152.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$556K

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Monterey Park, CA

The Golden State

58K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 58K residents.

Washington, DC

The District of Columbia

690K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Nations capital
•No voting representation in Congress
•Major international city

Major Industries

GovernmentProfessional ServicesTourismEducation

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Monterey Park, CA vs Washington, DC

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	Monterey Park, CA	Washington, DC	Difference	Change
Other	$989/mo	$1,148/mo	↑ $159more	16.0%
Housing	$3,987/mo	$3,907/mo	↓ $79.20less	2.0%
Healthcare	$332/mo	$398/mo	↑ $65.42more	19.7%
Groceries	$624/mo	$679/mo	↑ $55.15more	8.8%
Transportation	$1,234/mo	$1,186/mo	↓ $47.74less	3.9%
All Utilities	$334/mo	$320/mo	↓ $14.53less	4.3%

Other

↑ 16.0%

Monterey Park, CA

$989

Washington, DC

$1,148

Difference

$159

Housing

↓ 2.0%

Monterey Park, CA

$3,987

Washington, DC

$3,907

Difference

$79.20

less

Healthcare

↑ 19.7%

Monterey Park, CA

$332

Washington, DC

$398

Difference

$65.42

Groceries

↑ 8.8%

Monterey Park, CA

$624

Washington, DC

$679

Difference

$55.15

Transportation

↓ 3.9%

Monterey Park, CA

$1,234

Washington, DC

$1,186

Difference

$47.74

less

All Utilities

↓ 4.3%

Monterey Park, CA

$334

Washington, DC

$320

Difference

$14.53

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,690

To$2,150

↑ $460

1 Bed

From$1,895

To$2,215

↑ $320

2 Bed

From$2,365

To$2,470

↑ $105

3 Bed

From$3,000

To$3,115

↑ $115

Monterey Park, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,880–$1,910/mo

Washington, DCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$3,020/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 Monterey Park, CA

$7,638

Monthly in Washington, DC

$138

Difference

Home Values

Monterey Park

Washington

$907K

Median Value

$556K

YoY Change

↓ -2.2%

↑ +28.4%

5-Year Change

↓ -5.6%

$899K - $914K

Price Range

$233K - $1.35M

Homes in Washington are 39% less expensive than Monterey Park

Calculate payment - Monterey Park Calculate payment - Washington

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $524

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$43.66

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Monterey Park, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Washington, DC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

District of Columbia State Tax

Effective: 7.4%

$11.2K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 32.1%

$48.2K

Take-Home Pay

$8,486/month

$101.8K

Additional Tax Information

Monterey Park, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Washington, DC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Monterey Park, CA: No data yet

Washington, DC

26/100

3% sidewalk tags · 2.3% cycling tags

Environment

Monterey Park

Washington

80 Moderate

Air Quality

45 Good

10.4%

Good Air Days

63.7%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

17 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

17 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

Before moving from Monterey Park, CA to Washington, DC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Washington, DC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Monterey Park, CA. 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 Monterey Park to Washington moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Monterey Park, CA vs Washington, DC

How do the cost estimates for Monterey Park, CA and Washington, DC compare?

Washington, DC has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Monterey Park, CA. 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 Monterey Park, CA, the model estimates $151,652 in Washington, DC. 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 Monterey Park, CA and Washington, DC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,365/month in Monterey Park, CA and $2,470/month in Washington, DC. 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 California and Washington DC on TaxTakeHome.com