City comparison
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 | Bellingham | Vancouver | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,385/mo | $1,525/mo | 9.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $528,600 | $403,400 | 31.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $64,026 | $73,626 | 13.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.7 | 105.0 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 124.5 | 126.6 | 1.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.8 | 106.5 | 2.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.8 | 106.5 | 3.4% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bellingham, you'd need $105,601 in Vancouver to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bellingham, WA is about 5.3% cheaper overall than Vancouver, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Bellingham than in Vancouver. If you earn $80,000 in Bellingham, you'd need about $84,481 in Vancouver to keep the same standard of living.