Portland, OR Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Portland, OR 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 Oregon, 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 126, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portland is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Portland ranks as the #77 cheapest in Oregon out of 98.

  • Portland ranks as the #5,091 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portland is $462,800.

  • The median income in Portland is $78,476.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
Portland's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portland, OR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portland has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Oregon, Portland has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Oregon's index of 116.

The standard of living in Portland ranks as #77 most affordable out of the 98 places we measured in Oregon. By definition, that implies Portland ranks as the #21 most expensive place in the Beaver State.

For more reading on life in Portland, check out:

77 out of 98
In Oregon
5,091 out of 6,412
In America

Portland Cost Of Living Vs. Oregon

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 122.

  • The Groceries index in Portland is 114.

  • The Health index in Portland is 117.

  • The Housing index in Portland is 151.

  • The Transportation index in Portland is 129.

  • The Utilities index in Portland is 90.

Living Expense Portland Oregon National Average
Overall 126 116 100
Services 122 106 100
Groceries 114 107 100
Health 117 103 100
Housing 151 140 100
Transportation 129 117 100
Utilities 90 97 100
For more reading on cost of living around Oregon, check out:
Portland Cost of Living Vs. OR

Portland, OR Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Oregon, 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 $462,800.

  • The Median Rent in Portland is $1,406.

  • The Median Income in Portland is $78,476.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portland is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portland is 0.21x.

Statistic Portland Oregon United States
Median Home Value $462,800 $362,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,406 $1,250 $1,163
Median Income $78,476 $70,084 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.9x 5.2x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Portland, OR
$462,800
Median Home Value
$1,406
Median Rent
$78,476
Median Income

Portland, OR Costs By Category

Detailed Portland Services Costs Vs. Oregon

Item Portland Oregon
Shampoo $1.23 $1.06
Movie $11.1 $10.68
Bowling $19.95 $14.67
Haircut $33.67 $18.62
Beauty Salon $56.44 $39.05

Detailed Portland Groceries Costs Vs. Oregon

Item Portland Oregon
Ground Beef $4.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.58 $1.39
Milk $2.12 $2.05
Potatoes $2.34 $3.29
Pizza $11.99 $10.62
Beer $11.24 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.65 $2.34

Detailed Portland Health Costs Vs. Oregon

Item Portland Oregon
Optometrist $146.25 $108.57
Doctor $168.67 $116.17
Dentist $101.75 $99.13

Detailed Portland Transportation Costs Vs. Oregon

Item Portland Oregon
Gasoline $2.78 $2.22
Tire Balancing $68.4 $50.07

Detailed Portland Utilities Costs Vs. Oregon

Item Portland Oregon
All Electricity $143.85 $167.67
Phone $170.53 $175.64

Portland SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
8.5
Commute
6

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:

  • Vancouver, WA has a cost of living index of 116, 0.9x Portland.

  • Lake Oswego, OR has a cost of living index of 153, 1.2x Portland.

  • Camas, WA has a cost of living index of 130, 1.0x Portland.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portland
Vancouver, WA 188,331 116 0.9x
Lake Oswego, OR 40,390 153 1.2x
Camas, WA 25,774 130 1.0x
Hazel Dell, WA 21,650 116 0.9x
Milwaukie, OR 21,108 116 0.9x
Battle Ground, WA 20,536 117 0.9x
Five Corners, WA 20,428 114 0.9x
Cedar Mill, OR 18,987 148 1.2x
Washougal, WA 16,664 116 0.9x
Oregon, WI 11,100 110 0.9x

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