Portland, ME Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Portland, ME Summary

Cost of living in Portland research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Portland is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maine, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Portland is 111, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portland is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Portland ranks as the #24 cheapest in Maine out of 29.

  • Portland ranks as the #4,219 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portland is $341,700.

  • The median income in Portland is $66,109.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
111
Portland's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portland, ME?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portland has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maine, Portland has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Maine's index of 112.

The standard of living in Portland ranks as #24 most affordable out of the 29 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Portland ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.

For more reading on life in Portland, check out:

24 out of 29
In Maine
4,219 out of 6,412
In America

Portland Cost Of Living Vs. Maine

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portland. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Portland is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Portland is 100.

  • The Health index in Portland is 116.

  • The Housing index in Portland is 125.

  • The Transportation index in Portland is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Portland is 108.

Living Expense Portland Maine National Average
Overall 111 112 100
Services 109 114 100
Groceries 100 101 100
Health 116 97 100
Housing 125 120 100
Transportation 103 116 100
Utilities 108 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maine, check out:
Portland Cost of Living Vs. ME

Portland, ME Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Portland is $341,700.

  • The Median Rent in Portland is $1,278.

  • The Median Income in Portland is $66,109.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portland is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portland is 0.23x.

Statistic Portland Maine United States
Median Home Value $341,700 $212,100 $244,900
Median Rent $1,278 $927 $1,163
Median Income $66,109 $63,182 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.2x 3.4x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Portland, ME
$341,700
Median Home Value
$1,278
Median Rent
$66,109
Median Income

Portland, ME Costs By Category

Detailed Portland Services Costs Vs. Maine

Item Portland Maine
Shampoo $0.99 $1.06
Movie $11.3 $10.68
Bowling $14.83 $14.67
Haircut $26.0 $18.62
Beauty Salon $46.33 $39.05

Detailed Portland Groceries Costs Vs. Maine

Item Portland Maine
Ground Beef $3.46 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.34 $1.39
Milk $2.34 $2.05
Potatoes $3.74 $3.29
Pizza $11.09 $10.62
Beer $10.74 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.67 $2.34

Detailed Portland Health Costs Vs. Maine

Item Portland Maine
Optometrist $148.43 $108.57
Doctor $151.95 $116.17
Dentist $107.57 $99.13

Detailed Portland Transportation Costs Vs. Maine

Item Portland Maine
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $53.63 $50.07

Detailed Portland Utilities Costs Vs. Maine

Item Portland Maine
All Electricity $200.33 $167.67
Phone $171.07 $175.64

Portland SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portland

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portland. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • South Portland, ME has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x Portland.

  • Saco, ME has a cost of living index of 109, 1.0x Portland.

  • Westbrook, ME has a cost of living index of 105, 0.9x Portland.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portland
South Portland, ME 26,428 113 1.0x
Saco, ME 20,203 109 1.0x
Westbrook, ME 20,074 105 0.9x
Old Orchard Beach, ME 8,954 106 1.0x
Gorham, ME 7,378 112 1.0x
Yarmouth, ME 6,043 121 1.1x

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