The Dalles, OR Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for The Dalles. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for The Dalles compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in The Dalles, Oregon

Cost of living in The Dalles 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 The Dalles 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:

109 Cost of living index 1.1x higher vs US
#25 Cheapest in Oregon (of 100)
#3,443 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$389,438 Median home value
$993 Median rent
$62,614 Median income
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What is the cost of living in The Dalles, OR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, The Dalles has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Oregon, The Dalles has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Oregon's index of 109.

The standard of living in The Dalles ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 100 places we measured in Oregon. By definition, that implies The Dalles ranks as the #75 most expensive place in the Beaver State.

For more reading on life in The Dalles, check out:

The Dalles Cost Of Living Vs. Oregon

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

  • The Services index in The Dalles is 103.

  • The Groceries index in The Dalles is 109.

  • The Health index in The Dalles is 111.

  • The Housing index in The Dalles is 107.

  • The Transportation index in The Dalles is 108.

  • The Utilities index in The Dalles is 108.

Living Expense The Dalles Oregon National Average
Overall 109 109 100
Services 103 104 100
Groceries 109 106 100
Health 111 125 100
Housing 107 104 100
Transportation 108 106 100
Utilities 108 105 100

The Dalles Cost Of Living Compared To Oregon Averages

Services
The Dalles 103
Oregon avg 104
Groceries
The Dalles 109
Oregon avg 106
Health
The Dalles 111
Oregon avg 125
Housing
The Dalles 107
Oregon avg 104
Transportation
The Dalles 108
Oregon avg 106
Utilities
The Dalles 108
Oregon avg 105

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Oregon, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

The Dalles, OR Housing Cost Breakdown

$389,438Median Home Value
$993Median Rent
$62,614Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in The Dalles is $389,438.

  • The Median Rent in The Dalles is $993.

  • The Median Income in The Dalles is $62,614.

  • The Home Value To Income in The Dalles is 6.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in The Dalles is 0.19x.

Statistic The Dalles Oregon United States
Median Home Value $389,438 $499,003 $332,700
Median Rent $993 $1,525 $1,413
Median Income $62,614 $83,011 $80,734
Home Value To Income 6.2x 6.0x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.22x 0.21x

The Dalles, OR Costs By Category

Detailed The Dalles Services costs vs. Oregon
Item The Dalles Oregon
Shampoo $1.53 $1.28
Movie $12.98 $12.13
Bowling $18.31 $18
Haircut $41.22 $24.26
Beauty Salon $60.58 $45.56
Detailed The Dalles Groceries costs vs. Oregon
Item The Dalles Oregon
Ground Beef $6.17 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.03 $1.57
Milk $5.04 $4.67
Potatoes $4.39 $4.93
Pizza $12.21 $12.09
Beer $12.07 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.63 $3.7
Detailed The Dalles Health costs vs. Oregon
Item The Dalles Oregon
Optometrist $131.94 $125.68
Doctor $188.49 $135.78
Dentist $115.08 $113.29
Detailed The Dalles Transportation costs vs. Oregon
Item The Dalles Oregon
Gasoline $4.16 $3.46
Tire Balancing $84.45 $59.92
Detailed The Dalles Utilities costs vs. Oregon
Item The Dalles Oregon
All Electricity $182.73 $193.99
Phone $190.36 $192.25

The Dalles SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around The Dalles

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

  • Hood River, OR has a cost of living index of 134, 1.2x The Dalles.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. The Dalles
Hood River, OR 8,361 134 1.2x