Portland’s Cost of Living

Anyone who has ever relocated to another city knows that number crunching moving van is the first step. After all knowing how far your paycheck can stretch once you’re in your new city is an important consideration for relocating.  The cost of living in Portland paired with a hot job market and lifestyle makes this city the perfect place to call home. 

If you’re used to affordable housing prices reasonable grocery bills and inexpensive health care you don’t want to be surprised if your new city is much pricier. You’ll want to make sure you can maintain your current lifestyle from one city to the next.   Know the cost of living in Portland is just as important to your move as a moving van.

How does the cost of living in Portland compare

When compared to cities the cost of living in Portland is average.  You’ll likely pay more for housing, groceries, transportation and healthcare.   However, you’ll likely pay less for utilities which could be a factor of Portland’s relatively temperate climate.

The Council for Community and Economic Research is a national organization dedicated to economic development and policy research.   It publishes an annual Cost of Living Index.  The index measures differences between areas in the cost of consumer goods and services minus taxes and non-consumer expenditures.

In addition, it also measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services. The average index is 100.  Check out below how Portland ranks against other large metro areas.  

FROM ONE PAYCHECK TO THE NEXT – Comparing the Cost of Living in Portland to other cities

Here’s a handy cost of living calculator to see what you need to earn to maintain (or increase or decrease) your current lifestyle. Or for a quick glance see the chart below.

Want to know how the cost of living in Portland compares to other cities? Assuming a $60000 salary in the city you’re moving from  we used a salary/cost of living calculator to do the math. If you made $60000 in Atlanta for example your salary in Portland would need to increase to $75332  to maintain the same standard of living.  See the table below for the results from a sampling of other cities.