Cost of Living

Portland, United States

Live cost-of-living data for Portland — rent, groceries, transport, healthcare and more, sourced and cross-checked by AI and refreshed regularly.

CheapestNew York = 100
66/ 10034% cheaper than New York
+16% rent since Jul 2026
$4,865/mo
Median Income
58/100
Safety
9.9%
Income Tax
oceanic
Climate

Cost Breakdown by Category

Each score runs 0–100, where higher means pricier. Representative prices shown per category.

Housing
72/100
1-Bed Apartment (City Center)$1,800/month
1-Bed Apartment (Outside Center)$1,350/month
3-Bed Apartment (City Center)$2,800/month
Food & Groceries
58/100
Milk (1 liter)$4.96/liter
Bread (500g loaf)$3.5/loaf
Rice (1 kg)$2.8/kg
Transportation
52/100
Monthly Transit Pass$100/month
One-Way Ticket$3/trip
Taxi (1 km)$2.25/km
Utilities
48/100
Basic (Elec, Heat, Water, Garbage) 85m2$255/month
Internet (60+ Mbps)$65/month
Mobile Plan (10GB+)$50/month
Healthcare
68/100
Doctor Visit (15 min)$180/visit
Dentist Visit$122/visit
Prescription Medicine (avg)$35/course
Education
62/100
Preschool/Kindergarten (monthly)$1,200/month
International Primary School (yearly)$18,000/year
Language Course (12 weeks)$600/course
Entertainment
58/100
Cinema Ticket (1 seat)$13.04/ticket
Theater Ticket$50/ticket
Museum Entry$18/ticket
Clothing
62/100
Jeans (Levi's or similar)$75/pair
Summer Dress (Zara/H&M)$45/piece
Running Shoes (Nike/Adidas)$110/pair
Personal Care
58/100
Haircut (Men)$28/cut
Haircut (Women)$50/cut
Shampoo (400ml)$7.5/bottle
Dining Out
62/100
Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant$18/meal
Meal for 2 (Mid-Range)$70/meal
McMeal at McDonald's$11/meal
Childcare
68/100
Full-Day Daycare (monthly)$1,300/month
Babysitter (per hour)$20/hour
Pack of Diapers (60 ct)$28/pack
Fitness & Sports
55/100
Gym Membership (monthly)$60/month
Tennis Court Rent (1 hr)$25/hour
Swimming Pool (adult entry)$12/entry

Digital Nomad Profile

150 Mbps
Internet Speed
$220
Coworking/Month
good
Café WiFi
high
English Level
growing
Nomad Community
73/100
Walkability

Best neighborhoods: Pearl District, Southeast Hawthorne, Northeast Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Portland cheap to live in?

Portland has a cost of living index of 66/100, where New York = 100. It is 34% cheaper than New York. A single person can live comfortably for approximately $2,380–$3,332 per month.

How much does rent cost in Portland?

A 1-bedroom apartment in the city center of Portland costs approximately $1,800/month. Outside the center, expect to pay around $1,350/month.

Is Portland good for digital nomads?

Portland has a growing digital nomad community. Average internet speed is 150 Mbps, café wifi reliability is good, and coworking spaces run about $220/month. English proficiency is high.

What is the average salary in Portland?

The median net monthly salary in Portland is approximately $4,865 USD. The income tax rate is around 9.9%.

How does Portland compare to New York for cost of living?

Portland (cost index 66) is 34% cheaper than New York (cost index 100). You could save roughly $850/month by moving from New York to Portland.

Compare Portland with…

Popular head-to-heads — see exactly where Portland wins or loses.

Cities that cost about the same as Portland

Same spending tier, different part of the world — the head-to-heads people actually weigh when relocating.

Or explore:Denver

Compare Portland with another city

See exactly how Portland stacks up against your current city or next destination.

Free to start · No credit card needed