Sumas, WA vs Bay City, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Bay City, OR has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% higher than Sumas, WA.

Sumas, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,540 / month
Bay City, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,520 / 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 Sumas, WA and Bay City, 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 Sumas, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $134/month in Bay City, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $151,608 in Bay City, OR

Regional cost estimates: Sumas, WA uses Seattle, WA. Bay City, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 2.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$134

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$1.6K

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.

Sumas, WA

Population:2K

Cost Index:

100.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$440K

Bay City, OR

Population:1K

Cost Index:

102.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$381K

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Sumas, WA

The Evergreen State

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 2K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Bay City, OR

The Beaver State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Sumas, WA vs Bay City, 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	Sumas, WA	Bay City, OR	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,693/mo	$3,119/mo	↓ $574less	15.5%
Other	$1,075/mo	$1,418/mo	↑ $343more	31.9%
Transportation	$1,034/mo	$1,268/mo	↑ $234more	22.7%
Groceries	$769/mo	$886/mo	↑ $117more	15.2%
All Utilities	$342/mo	$394/mo	↑ $51.38more	15.0%
Healthcare	$587/mo	$549/mo	↓ $37.65less	6.4%

Housing

↓ 15.5%

Sumas, WA

$3,693

Bay City, OR

$3,119

Difference

$574

less

Other

↑ 31.9%

Sumas, WA

$1,075

Bay City, OR

$1,418

Difference

$343

Transportation

↑ 22.7%

Sumas, WA

$1,034

Bay City, OR

$1,268

Difference

$234

Groceries

↑ 15.2%

Sumas, WA

$769

Bay City, OR

$886

Difference

$117

All Utilities

↑ 15.0%

Sumas, WA

$342

Bay City, OR

$394

Difference

$51.38

Healthcare

↓ 6.4%

Sumas, WA

$587

Bay City, OR

$549

Difference

$37.65

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,260

To$1,100

↓ $160

1 Bed

From$1,280

To$1,230

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,520

↓ $20.00

3 Bed

From$2,140

To$2,110

↓ $30.00

Sumas, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,280–$1,280/mo

Bay City, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,230–$1,230/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 Sumas, WA

$7,634

Monthly in Bay City, OR

$134

Difference

Home Values

Sumas

Bay City

$440K

Median Value

$381K

↑ +2.8%

YoY Change

↓ -1.4%

↑ +23.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +33.6%

Homes in Bay City are 13% less expensive than Sumas

Calculate payment - Sumas Calculate payment - Bay City

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

Sumas, 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

Bay City, 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

Sumas, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Bay City, 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

Sumas

Bay City

41 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

69.7%

Good Air Days

85%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Sumas, WA to Bay City, OR

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Sumas, WA vs Bay City, OR

How do the cost estimates for Sumas, WA and Bay City, OR compare?

Bay City, OR has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% higher than Sumas, 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 Sumas, WA, the model estimates $151,608 in Bay City, 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 Sumas, WA and Bay City, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,540/month in Sumas, WA and $1,520/month in Bay City, 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