How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in Washington, DC? [2026 Data]

The cost of living in Washington, D.C., is higher than almost anywhere in the country, which can mean higher costs for services like interior painting. The cost to paint a room in Washington, D.C. sits between $436 and $1,742, or $1,198 on average. Your exact costs will vary based on room size, labor rates, paint type, and a few other cost factors.

Interior Painting Cost Factors 

The main cost factor for interior painting in Washington, D.C., is room size, but painting ceilings, trim, and baseboards can also add to the final price.

Room Size

Professional interior paint jobs are priced at $2 to $6 per square foot for walls only. The larger the room, the higher the cost. If you know the square footage of your room, you can use these numbers to get a fairly accurate estimate for your paint job.

Room Height

Another cost factor to consider when painting a room is its ceiling height. If you have high or difficult-to-reach ceilings, you can expect to pay an additional fee for labor and materials. Painting a ceiling costs an extra $1 to $3 per square foot, depending on the ceiling type and the painter’s rates.

You’ll pay the most for cathedral ceilings that reach above 12 feet, while a 10-foot ceiling will only add $1 per square foot to paint since they don’t require any scaffolding or special equipment.

Room Type

The price of your painting project depends on the type of room in question. Bathrooms are the smallest room in the house and the least expensive to paint, while painting living rooms is the most costly. Keep in mind that some larger rooms, like kitchens, can be inexpensive to paint because a large portion of the walls is covered by cabinets or backsplashes.

Baseboard and Trim

Want to refresh your trim and baseboard paint? Giving your home accents like trim, baseboards, crown molding, and windows a fresh coat of paint will cost $1 to $5 per linear foot.

Keep in mind that professional painters often charge extra for hard-to-reach accents—up to an additional $6 per linear foot. Particularly ornate trim painting costs can also be a bit higher if there are a lot of nooks and crannies your professional will have to cover.

Paint Type

On average, you’ll pay $30 to $100 per gallon, and each gallon of paint covers between 300 and 400 square feet. You can get a budget-friendly option from a big-box retailer for as little as $20 per gallon or spend more than $100 per gallon on a designer brand or rare pigment.

Overall, oil-based paints cost slightly more than latex-based paints (though latex is by far the most popular for indoor use because it dries more smoothly). 

Paint Finish

On top of that, you’ll pay more for paint with a glossier finish. Paint durability and moisture resistance also increase as the finish gets glossier, so consider the area you’re painting and don’t shop solely on cost.

Accent or Textured Walls

Wall texture can transform the feeling of a room—whether it’s a combed, sand swirl, or orange peel texture. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though some homeowners love it. Expect to spend a couple of dollars extra per square foot if you want to add or remove wall texture before the painting process:

•  The cost of texturing your walls is $1 to $3 per square foot.

•  The cost of skim coating drywall to remove texture is $1 to $1.30 per square foot.

Wall Repairs 

You may need to repair your walls before you can paint them, especially if you have water damage or cracked or peeling paint. The cost of drywall repair falls between $150 and $1,500.

Painting Pro Costs

You’ll need to consider labor rates, furniture-moving fees, and the cost of painting complex surfaces when budgeting to hire interior painters in Washington, D.C.

Labor

In Washington, D.C., interior painters charge between $50 and $82 per hour, per painter, which includes both prep work and the actual painting. These are high prices, but working with an experienced pro ensures your job will be done correctly and that you’ll be equipped with all supplies needed to paint a room.

Complex Surfaces

Having cabinetry, wall texture, crown molding, or ornate trim painted will cost an extra $2 to $6 per square foot. You can offset this by removing texture from walls or leaving cabinetry in its original color, so think carefully about which surfaces you want painted.

Furniture Movers

If you don’t want to take the risk of painting a room with furniture in it, we recommend hiring movers to clear the space and move furniture back in again later. In Washington, D.C., furniture movers charge $95 to $110 per hour, per mover.

Does Painting a Room Increase Home Value?

How much does interior painting boost home value? If you choose a skilled painting company and opt for a neutral color with universal appeal, you could see a great return on investment (ROI) from painting the inside of your home—up to 107%. Considering the relatively low cost and high value of this upgrade, it’s no surprise that it’s so common for home interiors to be repainted before they hit the market.

How Angi Gets Its Local Cost Data 

To help homeowners plan their next project, Angi provides readers with carefully researched cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We start with national average project costs, which we collect by analyzing competitor information, retailer material costs, and input from professional contractors. We then apply local price index data to calculate location-specific estimates that reflect what homeowners typically pay in their local area. To do that, we use data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), including its Regional Price Parities (RPPs), which measure price differences across cities. This helps us account for differences in labor, materials, and overall cost of living, so estimates in higher- or lower-cost areas better reflect real-world local pricing.

Every estimate undergoes a thorough editorial review to verify accuracy, consistency, and alignment with observed market conditions.

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