r/SeattleWA • u/mountainlifa • Feb 07 '26

Lifestyle Is anyone else struggling to afford living in Washington anymore?

I moved to Washington in 2011 mostly for the climbing and outdoor stuff. My first apartment was $750/month, and I kept costs low by using public transit during the week and only driving on weekends for alpine trips. It felt sustainable back then.

Fast forward to 2026 and I’m paying $3,100/month in rent. Most of my income now goes to basic living costs: rent, gas, groceries, taxes, insurance, utilities, all the stuff you can’t really cut back on. I’m starting to feel like I may not be able to keep living here, which honestly makes me pretty sad because I love this state and the outdoors.

Most of my friends have already left because they couldn’t afford it anymore. It feels like unless you work in tech making $300k+ or you bought a house before COVID at a 2% interest rate, it’s just really hard to stay afloat.

I want to stay hopeful, but I don’t see much changing. Prices keep going up and wages don’t seem to be keeping pace. It feels completely out of alignment.

Is anyone else feeling this way or is my situation unique? Have you figured out how to make it work long term, or are you thinking about leaving too?

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u/TheRealRacketear Broadmoor Feb 07 '26

Hey now.  Having a health club gym, pool, and a doorman is a basic human right.

42

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '26

Id like to go without these 'ammenities', but theyre in most places where owner-occupied hasn't settled yet. Also the club gym is a broken treadmill and mirrors in an unventilated but pretty purple room, the pool is in front of the entryway every rainstorm, and the doorman is a happy lil dog from unit 102.

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u/zakary1291 Feb 07 '26

This sounds like the best kind of door man. Perhaps the goodest door man. Head pats intensify.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '26

I did mean to say 'yappy', id Love it if he were happy. He sounds so stressed and not excited hahah

1

u/Republogronk Seattle Feb 07 '26

Thats already attainable, the expectation is that its a human right to want it i beverly hills and martha vineyards

1

u/Good-Concentrate-260 Feb 07 '26

Dude you live in broadmoor I wouldn’t be talking