CostIndexUSA

Gainesville, FL vs Olympia, WA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableFL
Gainesville
96.7
overall index
$1,650/mo rent
WA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent

Gainesville is moderately cheaper than Olympia — 7.2% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Gainesville, you would need $85,800 in Olympia. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+25.5%
Gainesville
93
Olympia
116.7
🛒 Groceries+9.1%
Gainesville
96.2
Olympia
105
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
Gainesville
103.8
Olympia
104.4
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
Gainesville
93.9
Olympia
94.5
Utilities+4.0%
Gainesville
88.2
Olympia
91.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Gainesville to see what you'd need to earn in Olympia to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Olympia, WA
$85,800
$5,800 more needed in Olympia

Formula: salary × (103.7 ÷ 96.7) = salary × 1.0724. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Gainesville, FL

Median Home Price
$294,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
93
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Olympia, WA

Median Home Price
$518,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,025
Housing Index
116.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.3×

Olympia has 25.5% higher housing costs compared to Gainesville.

Income & Job Market

Gainesville, FL

Median Household Income
$59,300
Per Capita Income
$33,800
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
140,003
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentResearch

Olympia, WA

Median Household Income
$93,200
Per Capita Income
$53,100
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
53,532
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationRetailManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Gainesville, FL
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Olympia, WA
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.