Cost of living in Bend: rent, home prices and salary needed
Cost of living in Bend sits 3.6% over the US average, and for 2024 the BEA regional price parity (RPP) covering the Bend, OR metro area is 103.6, with 100 marking the US level and housing alone at 110.0.
- Level of prices
- 103.6US = 100, BEA 2024
- Level for housing prices
- 110.0. For rents, US = 100.
Living cost index for Bend
A regional price parity compares, in one place, what an identical basket of goods and services costs with the US average, which is set at 100. Bend is part of the Bend, OR metro area, and BEA calculates prices for that entire area. Housing (rents) differs most from the US average. At 110.0, it is 10.0% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Bend, OR metro | Oregon | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.6 | 103.4 | +3.6% |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.3 | +5.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 110.0 | 108.6 | +10.0% |
| Utilities | 105.0 | 107.0 | +5.0% |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 | +0.3% |
Regional price parities for 2024, by metro area and state, come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
Bend rent prices
By the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), homes listed now carry a typical asking rent in Bend of $2,284 a month, up +3.1% on a year. Across the US, the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,962. This figure includes every renting household, not just new leases. Asking rent for one year equals 26% of median household income.
| Rent | Bend | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,284 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,962 | $1,487 |
| One year of asking rent, as a share of median income | 26% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Bend home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical home in Bend at $721,430. ZHVI measures the value of a home at the middle of the market. Compared with $366,157 for the US, that figure is −0.6% on a year. The price equals 6.9 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Bend | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $721,430 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.6% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +84.9% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 6.9 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 26.3 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and a price chart going back to 2000: Bend housing market.
Salary needed for living in Bend
Two questions give the pay in Bend that matches what your pay buys now: what you earn, and where you live.
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- Salary
Side by side, the method and every city: comparison of cost of living by city.
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Bend living costs compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Usual rent | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend | 103.6 | 110.0 | $2,284 | $721,430 |
| Portland, Oregon | 105.4 | 125.1 | $1,719 | $524,318 |
| Salem | 103.6 | 110.3 | $1,611 | $432,418 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities for 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. All states: cost of living by state.