Cost of Living in Portland, OR (2026)

Portland's cost of living is 5% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $94,858 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Portland has a cost-of-living index of 105 against a US average of 100 — about 5% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $94,858 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Portland

MeasurePortlandUS average
Cost-of-living index105100
Median rent$1,596/mo-
Median home value$557,600-
Median household income$88,792-
Population642,715-

Monthly cost breakdown in Portland

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,596$3,238
Transport$1,279$1,279
Food$1,006$1,006
Healthcare$632$632
Other$2,247$2,247
Total$6,760$8,402

Affordability in Portland

Median rent takes about 21.6% of the median household income in Portland — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 6.3x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Portland

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$145,020$137,563
Software Developer$132,870$126,038
Data Scientist$126,450$119,948
Registered Nurse$116,850$110,841
Mechanical Engineer$102,500$97,229
Financial Analyst$101,820$96,584
Physical Therapist$100,390$95,228
Teacher$97,760$92,733

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Portland’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Portland has a cost-of-living index of 105 against a US average of 100, so it is about 5% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Portland has roughly the purchasing power of $94,858 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Portland's median rent of $1,596/month that implies about $63,840 a year before tax. The median household in Portland earns $88,792.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $6,760 a month in Portland across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $8,402 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Portland costs $557,600, which is 6.3x the median household income of $88,792. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Portland is expensive relative to local incomes.