Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln and Olympia, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln and Olympia, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,288 in Lincoln versus $2,716 in Olympia, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Lincoln versus $3,844 in Olympia, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,444 in Lincoln versus $4,972 in Olympia, WA.

Living in Lincoln costs roughly 16% less than in Olympia, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lincoln 71% above, Olympia, WA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.59 £20.55

$19.97 $19.97

38.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 £56.6

$71.3 $71.3

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 £7.70

$11.96 $11.96

-13.55%

Cappuccino

$5.41 £4.03

$4.93 $4.93

9.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 £1.68

$2.56 $2.56

-11.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.88 $1.88

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 £5.15

$7.03 $7.03

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 £4.91

$5.94 $5.94

10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 £1.10

$1.05 $1.05

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 £1.10

$3.67 $3.67

-59.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$4.30 $4.30

-69.30%

Eggs

$3.40 £2.53

$4.37 $4.37

-22.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 £6.82

$15.36 $15.36

-40.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 £6.76

$10.43 $10.43

-12.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 £8.84

$15.16 $15.16

-21.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$5.05 $5.05

-23.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.59 $1.59

-22.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.12

$4.14 $4.14

-31.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 £2.29

$5.14 $5.14

-40.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 £0.73

$2.90 $2.90

-66.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$2.10 $2.10

-21.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 £0.92

$2.24 $2.24

-44.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 £1.07

$2.24 $2.24

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.84 £14.03

$10.85 $10.85

73.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 £7.60

$14.78 $14.78

-30.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 £2.88

$1.90 $1.90

103.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 £2.36

$4.59 $4.59

-31.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 £3.29

$0.36 $0.36

1127.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 £65.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 £3.08

$3.76 $3.76

9.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 £1.14

$2.04 $2.04

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.13 £35.10

$35.97 $35.97

31.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.02 $1.02

94.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.1K £25.4K

$33.8K $33.8K

0.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.8K £30.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

56.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$313 £233

$122 $122

156.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.51 £11.55

$60.6 $60.6

-74.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.54 £34.67

$62.3 $62.3

-25.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 £32.26

$58.5 $58.5

-25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 £13.96

$9.87 $9.87

89.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 £11.96

$10.87 $10.87

47.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,848 £1,377

$1,469 $1,469

25.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.9K $18.9K

9.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 £80.5

$51.9 $51.9

108.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 £32.41

$47.10 $47.10

-7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 £58.5

$89.0 $89.0

-11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 £75.7

$99.2 $99.2

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 £823

$1,698 $1,698

-34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 £646

$1,599 $1,599

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 £1,451

$2,766 $2,766

-29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 £1,092

$2,305 $2,305

-36.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,594 £1,932

$3,169 $3,169

-18.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 $3,030

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,419

$5,059 $5,059

-35.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

6.41

-13.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Last update for Olympia, WA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,105 in Lincoln and $1,698 in Olympia, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olympia, WA pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Lincoln vs $71.0 in Olympia, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $400, with Lincoln cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lincoln vs Olympia, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln and Olympia, WA differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,288 vs $2,716 including rent). Lincoln is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Olympia, WA earns 56% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,105 in Lincoln versus $1,698 in Olympia, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,848 in Lincoln versus $1,469 in Olympia, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lincoln – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $71.0 in Olympia, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,288 in Lincoln versus $2,716 in Olympia, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lincoln but tight or insufficient in Olympia, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Lincoln the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lincoln and Olympia, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lincoln gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Olympia, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.