City comparison
Auburn, WA is about 225 miles (350 km) from Spokane, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 275 miles, or about 4 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Auburn, WA to Spokane, WA takes about 27 min, covering roughly 225 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Spokane has a population of 227,922, vs 85,623 in Auburn — about 2.7× larger by population. By land area, Spokane covers about 69 sq mi vs 30 sq mi for Auburn.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Auburn | Spokane | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,594/mo | $1,060/mo | 50.4% higher in Auburn |
| Median home value | $460,100 | $286,900 | 60.4% higher in Auburn |
| Median household income | $87,406 | $63,316 | 38.0% higher in Auburn |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 104.9 | 0.9% higher in Spokane |
| Utilities index | 95.7 | 94.3 | 1.6% higher in Auburn |
| Transportation index | 106.6 | 99.9 | 6.7% higher in Auburn |
| Healthcare index | 106.6 | 99.9 | 6.7% higher in Auburn |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Auburn, you'd need $80,015 in Spokane to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Spokane, WA is about 20% cheaper overall than Auburn, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 55% higher in Auburn than in Spokane. If you earn $80,000 in Auburn, you'd need about $64,012 in Spokane to keep the same standard of living.