United States : Cost of Living by City
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How Much Does It Cost to Live in Olympia, WA?
Olympia is a city located in the South Sound region of Washington and the capital of Washington State.
Olympia is also home to Evergreen State College which is a liberal, democratic college that focuses on LGBTQ acceptance, legalization of marijuana, and acceptance of diversity.
Many refer to Olympia as the ultimate hippie city, with a very “live and let live” community.
Downtown Olympia isn’t exactly the gem of the city but is slowly reviving after being ignored for years; however, there are still too many homeless people on the streets.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Olympia, WA
RESTAURANTS
Olympia is best known for its magnificent beer.
If it’s farmer’s market season, head over there and try some fresh produce and something from a food stand.
There are high-end restaurants that cost a lot and some cheaper ones where you can have a delicious meal for around 27$.
If you’re really on a tight budget, you can eat in any of the chain fast food restaurants.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $27.50 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $7.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.64 |
MARKETS
Most people shop at Costco for household items and groceries to save money – those are usually people with families looking to cut their expenses as much as possible.
The major supermarket chains in Olympia are the usual ones, and as per usual, the nation’s largest discount store chain, Walmart, has several stores in Olympia.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.08 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $4.12 |
| Eggs (12) | $4.00 |
TRANSPORTATION
Intercity Transit operates the bus system which isn’t the best but it’s your best bet to move around the town.
It costs around 1.25$ per trip or 2.50$ for a day pass.
Many people living here don’t even use public transport and their transport costs are down to zero – they just go on foot because much of downtown is very compact and walkable.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.50 |
| Monthly Pass | $60.00 |
| Gasoline | $1.15 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Depending on the size of your apartment, monthly utilities, including heating, cooling, electricity, and gas could cost between 100$ and 250$ a month.
However, for an apartment of about 85m2, your bills would amount to 176$.
Internet is expensive as well, amounting to around 67$ a month.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $176.6 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $66.75 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
There are places to hike and lots of nice short trails all over Olympia, so you won’t have to spend a bunch of money on gyms or fitness clubs.
Though the city is not necessarily bike-friendly, you can go further away from the center and enjoy the nature there.
If you prefer indoor spaces, a gym membership will probably cost you around 40$ a month which is very reasonable according to US standards.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $47.50 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $14.00 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $12.00 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Olympia Farmer’s Market is one of the largest in the state and here you can buy whatever you think of.
If you’re set on shopping for clothing and shoes, just go into any of the malls that Olympia offers.
The prices are relatively low – quality jeans cost around 50$, while summer dresses and shirts are around 35$.
Quality sneakers are more expensive, standing at around 67$.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $50.00 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $35.00 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $67.33 |
RENT PER MONTH
Rents are relatively high for the type of area.
Additionally, the better suburbs around the city come with higher price tags then you might see in other suburbs.
Rent is skyrocketing beyond what most working people can afford.
For example, 1500$ for a single bedroom near downtown is very good.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1580.62 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1413.0 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2342.50 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Olympia, WA?
As for the expenses, the biggest chunk of the paycheck of Olympia’s citizens gets spent on rent.
Rent will be your problem when it comes to finances since they’re definitely the main financial burden for the people of Olympia.
As already mentioned, with more than 36% of one’s income being spent on rent, it can easily be said that it is skyrocketing beyond what most working people can afford.
The next biggest expense for the people of Olympia is food and groceries.
What is also high is the percentage of restaurant expenses: namely as much as 14% of one’s entire salary gets spent on restaurants.
Average Costs Breakdown
Olympia, WA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
People in Olympia earn considerable amounts of money, and this is actually their normal standard of living.
With an average wage reaching far and beyond 4500$, citizens of Olympia have enough money to cover all their expenses, afford most of the things they want and need, and still live comfortably.
Of course, those that are renting have a harder time since they’re spending a lot more money.
The minimum wage doesn’t fall far behind the average monthly salary, so citizens of Olympia shouldn’t have problems making ends meet.
It sounds like Olympia has such a unique vibe! I’m curious, how do the rising costs of living there impact the community, especially with the challenges you mentioned about homelessness?
The portrayal of Olympia as the ultimate hippie city is interesting, but I can’t help but wonder about the real costs associated with that lifestyle. While it’s great that there’s a focus on acceptance and diversity, it raises questions about how sustainable that is when downtown still struggles with homelessness and revitalization. It feels a bit contradictory to champion such progressive ideals while significant issues like these persist. I guess it makes me reflect on how much talk there is about community values compared to the on-the-ground realities people are facing