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 138, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Portland is 1.4x higher than the national average.
Portland ranks as the #84 cheapest in Oregon out of 99.
Portland ranks as the #5,329 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Portland is $524,552.
The median income in Portland is $88,792.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portland has an overall cost of living index of 138, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Oregon, Portland has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Oregon's index of 112.
The standard of living in Portland ranks as #84 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in Oregon. By definition, that implies Portland ranks as the #15 most expensive place in the Beaver State.
For more reading on life in Portland, check out:
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 107.
The Groceries index in Portland is 111.
The Health index in Portland is 112.
The Housing index in Portland is 207.
The Transportation index in Portland is 127.
The Utilities index in Portland is 95.
| Living Expense | Portland | Oregon | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 138 | 112 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 111 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 207 | 124 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 127 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Portland is $524,552.
The Median Rent in Portland is $1,596.
The Median Income in Portland is $88,792.
The Home Value To Income in Portland is 5.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Portland is 0.22x.
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 122, 0.9x Portland.
Lake Oswego, OR has a cost of living index of 166, 1.2x Portland.
Camas, WA has a cost of living index of 142, 1.0x Portland.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, WA | 192,696 | 122 | 0.9x |
| Lake Oswego, OR | 40,367 | 166 | 1.2x |
| Camas, WA | 26,779 | 142 | 1.0x |
| Hazel Dell, WA | 23,086 | 124 | 0.9x |
| Five Corners, WA | 21,444 | 123 | 0.9x |
| Battle Ground, WA | 21,293 | 126 | 0.9x |
| Milwaukie, OR | 21,256 | 127 | 0.9x |
| Cedar Mill, OR | 19,482 | 169 | 1.2x |
| Washougal, WA | 16,945 | 127 | 0.9x |
| Oregon, WI | 11,384 | 116 | 0.8x |