Cost of Living in Washington, DC

Both owning and renting come with utility expenses. These costs include basic services such as energy and telecommunications. In Washington, energy bills cost around $194.77 per month.

Food is the most important necessity and its cost varies around the country. This section includes the prices of everyday foods such as produce, meat and dairy. A bottle of milk costs about $2.74 in Washington, a dozen eggs go for around $1.93 and a pound of potatoes circles around $4.12.

The benchmark for this category is based on the prices of family doctor visits and specialized services such as optometry. In Washington, an optometry check-up costs around $79.25, while a dentist appointment is priced $94.40 on average.

Transportation expenses depend on multiple factors, with fuel being the most important. A gallon of gas is priced around $2.40 in Washington, while getting your tires balanced will run you about $53.69.

The cost of clothing tells you how much more or less money you need to buy basic items such as jeans, shirts or slacks in a new city. A men's shirt costs around $38.07 here. Meanwhile, a pair of women's slacks will set you back around $33.65.

The cost of entertainment and everyday services is based on common expenses in each category. For a movie ticket in Washington, you should budget around $13.86 a month. When it comes to personal services, a haircut usually goes for $40.42, while dry cleaning costs about $15.08.

The cost of living also takes median household income into account, so you can estimate how much more or less you could be earning in a new city by comparing it to the income in your current area. In Washington, the median household income is $90,842.