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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Olympia, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than Lincoln, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$27.59 £20.55

-27.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$76.0 £56.6

-6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$10.34 £7.70

15.67%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.41 £4.03

-8.87%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$2.26 £1.68

13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.57 £1.17

19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$6.91 £5.15

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.59 £4.91

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.48 £1.10

-29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.47 £1.10

149.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.32 £0.98

225.76%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$3.40 £2.53

28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$9.15 £6.82

67.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$9.08 £6.76

14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$11.87 £8.84

27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.86 £2.87

30.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.24 £0.92

28.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.85 £2.12

45.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.07 £2.29

67.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$0.98 £0.73

195.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.64 £1.22

28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.24 £0.92

80.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.44 £1.07

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$18.84 £14.03

-42.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$10.21 £7.60

44.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.87 £2.88

-50.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.16 £2.36

45.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$4.42 £3.29

-91.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 £65.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.13 £3.08

-8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.53 £1.14

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.97 $35.97

$47.13 £35.10

-23.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.98 £1.47

-48.48%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$34.1K £25.4K

-0.87%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$40.8K £30.4K

-36.18%

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

$122 $122

$313 £233

-61.08%

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

$60.6 $60.6

$15.51 £11.55

290.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$46.54 £34.67

33.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 $58.5

$43.31 £32.26

34.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 $9.87

$18.75 £13.96

-47.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 $10.87

$16.05 £11.96

-32.27%

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

$1,469 $1,469

$1,848 £1,377

-20.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K $18.9K

$20.8K £15.5K

-9.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$108 £80.5

-51.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.10 $47.10

$43.51 £32.41

8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 $89.0

$78.6 £58.5

13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 $99.2

$102 £75.7

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$1,105 £823

53.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$868 £646

84.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 $2,766

$1,948 £1,451

41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$1,466 £1,092

57.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$2,594 £1,932

22.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 $3,030

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,059 $5,059

$3,247 £2,419

55.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

5.56

15.29%

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

Last update for Olympia, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,698 in Olympia, WA and $1,105 in Lincoln. 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: $71.0 in Olympia, WA vs $76.0 in Lincoln. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $285, 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

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

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

Olympia, WA pays 56% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

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

Childcare runs $1,469 in Olympia, WA versus $1,848 in Lincoln. 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, Olympia, WA and Lincoln 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.