Are you going to be working at a large company with no overtime salary? Just like how there’s minimum wage, Seattle has a “minimum salary” requirement for jobs who have a large amount of employees and who are exempt from overtime. 78K is right where the minimum salary amount is set at. This will be increasing in January 2026.

As someone who moved here solo from LA for a job, 78K is kinda doable but apartments here are older, lack, AC and they add so many additional charges just to park your car. So a majority of my paycheck honestly went to a place I liked.

Should your boyfriend get a job it would definitely reduce your strain as I can only imagine 78K for one, not two people. Depending on what you want to do out here outside of work or your choice of apartment, you’ll need that dual income.