2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Federal Way, WA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest or is it cheaper to live in Federal Way?
- Lake Forest is 4.3% more expensive than Federal Way.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Forest or Federal Way?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 69.8% more expensive than Federal Way housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Federal Way or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest.
- Health related expenses are 5.9% more in Lake Forest.
 Federal Way, WALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries101.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing176.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$937,500$338,100
 Utilities71  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock111.6100
 Miscellaneous150.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Federal Way    14 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

A suburb of The Emerald City (Seattle, WA), Federal Way has become yet another go-to place for affluent travelers and transplants from states all over the nation. The  More

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I want to move my family to austin i havent bin there but we want some ware housing is affortable i have four boys age 6,3,2 and a baby of 2 months and ware theres jobs  More

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I have lived in Brooklyn NY, West Palm Beach & Port St Lucie, FL and now Federal Way, WA. While the cost of living here is higher than Florida, it is definitely lower  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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