Pendleton, OR vs Moses Lake, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Moses Lake, WA has a modeled overall cost index 7.6% higher than Pendleton, OR.

Pendleton, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,200 / month
Moses Lake, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,260 / 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 Pendleton, OR and Moses Lake, 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 Pendleton, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $482/month in Moses Lake, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $155,781 in Moses Lake, WA

Regional cost estimates: Pendleton, OR uses Spokane, WA. Moses Lake, WA uses Spokane, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$482

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$5.8K

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.

Pendleton, OR

Population:17K

Cost Index:

87.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$287K

Moses Lake, WA

Population:26K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$359K

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Pendleton, OR

The Beaver State

17K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 17K residents.

Moses Lake, WA

The Evergreen State

26K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 26K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Pendleton, OR vs Moses Lake, 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	Pendleton, OR	Moses Lake, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,952/mo	$2,100/mo	↑ $149more	7.6%
Transportation	$1,780/mo	$1,916/mo	↑ $136more	7.6%
Other	$1,444/mo	$1,554/mo	↑ $110more	7.6%
Groceries	$1,052/mo	$1,092/mo	↑ $39.39more	3.7%
Healthcare	$803/mo	$833/mo	↑ $30.07more	3.7%
All Utilities	$469/mo	$486/mo	↑ $17.55more	3.7%

Housing

↑ 7.6%

Pendleton, OR

$1,952

Moses Lake, WA

$2,100

Difference

$149

Transportation

↑ 7.6%

Pendleton, OR

$1,780

Moses Lake, WA

$1,916

Difference

$136

Other

↑ 7.6%

Pendleton, OR

$1,444

Moses Lake, WA

$1,554

Difference

$110

Groceries

↑ 3.7%

Pendleton, OR

$1,052

Moses Lake, WA

$1,092

Difference

$39.39

Healthcare

↑ 3.7%

Pendleton, OR

$803

Moses Lake, WA

$833

Difference

$30.07

All Utilities

↑ 3.7%

Pendleton, OR

$469

Moses Lake, WA

$486

Difference

$17.55

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$830

To$950

↑ $120

1 Bed

From$910

To$960

↑ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,200

To$1,260

↑ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,670

To$1,750

↑ $80.00

Pendleton, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $910–$910/mo

Moses Lake, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$960/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 Pendleton, OR

$7,982

Monthly in Moses Lake, WA

$482

Difference

Home Values

Pendleton

Moses Lake

$287K

Median Value

$359K

↑ +2.8%

YoY Change

↑ +0.6%

↑ +32.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.6%

Homes in Moses Lake are 25% more expensive than Pendleton

Calculate payment - Pendleton Calculate payment - Moses Lake

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $15.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$1,293

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Pendleton, 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

Moses Lake, 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

Pendleton, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Moses Lake, 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

Pendleton

Moses Lake

38 Good

Air Quality

38 Good

76.5%

Good Air Days

76.5%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

90 Moderate

💨

Top Hazards

💨

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

23 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

23 days

Heat Days >95°F

23 days

Before moving from Pendleton, OR to Moses Lake, WA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Moses Lake, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Pendleton, OR. 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 Pendleton to Moses Lake moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Pendleton, OR vs Moses Lake, WA

How do the cost estimates for Pendleton, OR and Moses Lake, WA compare?

Moses Lake, WA has a modeled overall cost index 7.6% higher than Pendleton, OR. 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 Pendleton, OR, the model estimates $155,781 in Moses Lake, 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 Pendleton, OR and Moses Lake, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,200/month in Pendleton, OR and $1,260/month in Moses Lake, 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.

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