2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Washington, DC vs Monterey, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Monterey or is it cheaper to live in Washington?
- Monterey is 0.0% more expensive than Washington.

Which city has more affordable housing, Monterey or Washington?
- Monterey housing costs are 44.0% more expensive than Washington housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Washington or is Health Care more affordable in Monterey.
- Health related expenses are 50.5% more in Monterey.
 Washington, DCMonterey, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock151.9100
 Food & Groceries114.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock143.7100
 Housing231.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,022,100$338,100
 Utilities106  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock92.1100
 Miscellaneous175.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Washington    97 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Living in DC long term brings on a kind of insidious misery. A long, slow, simmering down of any natural optimism or desire for a better future. It’s a leach of a town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Parts are beautiful but alot is rundown and ghetto. They always show the monuments and upper nw neighborhoods but never show hoods across the Anacostia River. Crime is  More

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Moved to DC 40 years ago from Mpls-St. Paul. DC is an amazing town. Downside is people are very competitive, everything is expensive. Great restaurants, foodie heaven  More

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Reviews for Monterey    21 Reviews

Over 8 years ago

The Monterey city area is an excellent place to live and one of the few California locales where it's relatively safe to raise a family. If I could no longer live here I  More

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I grew up on the Monterey Peninsula and had to leave to climb out of poverty. The median income is $35,000 and outside of the military, the jobs are mostly service  More

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My husband and I are just crazy about Monterey. I wonder if we take housing expenses (mortgage or rent) out of the picture, is Monterey still a very expensive city to  More

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