🇺🇸 Cost of living · United States
Washington, D.C. Cost of Living
Monthly cost of living breakdown for Washington, D.C., United States
Cost Level: High
Housing
1BR Apartment — City Center $2,200–3,300/mo (center); $1,700–2,500/mo (outer)
USD Reference (Directly in USD)
Food & Dining
Budget Restaurant / Local Eatery $14–20 (quick meal); $60–120 (restaurant for 2)
Monthly Groceries $380–600/mo (groceries)
Transport
Monthly Transport Cost Transit pass ~$100/mo; Uber starts $8–12
Metrorail + buses; SmarTrip card works across them, covering DC and the Virginia/Maryland suburbs. Walkable. Reagan (DCA) / Dulles (IAD) airports.
Monthly Budget Summary
Budget Lifestyle (single)
USD 2,000–3,000
Comfortable Lifestyle (single)
USD 3,000–5,000
Family Budget (2–3 people)
USD 6,000–10,000
Important Note
Data above is approximate and indicative. Actual costs vary by location, personal lifestyle, and exchange rate fluctuations. Verify with local sources after arrival.
Source: RichBay editorial estimate (indicative, not guaranteed)
Estimate baseline: 2026-06-19
How we estimate
- Coverage: the city and its immediate surrounding area.
- Housing: public statistics and current listing ranges (1-bedroom, city-centre baseline).
- Food & transport: supermarket / restaurant reference baskets and official operator fares.
- Currency conversion uses a reference rate; any USD figures are computed at the rate shown.
- Confidence: Medium — an editorial estimate, not a crowdsourced index.
- Cost level is relative to Richbay’s global city set, not an absolute index.
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