Cost of living in Portland, Oregon: rent, homes and salary
Prices in Portland, Oregon sit 5.4% higher than the US average. For the Portland, OR metro area, the 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) is 105.4, with the US at 100, and housing alone reaches 125.1.
- Level of prices
- 105.4US = 100, BEA 2024
- Level of housing prices
- 125.1. Rent prices, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Portland, Oregon
A regional price parity measures the cost of one basket of goods and services in a place. It compares that cost with the US average, which is set at 100. Portland, Oregon belongs to the metro area named Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, and BEA prices that whole area together. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average at 125.1, or 25.1% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Portland, OR metro | Oregon | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 105.4 | 103.4 | +5.4% |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.3 | +5.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 125.1 | 108.6 | +25.1% |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 107.0 | +7.0% |
| Other services | 100.1 | 100.3 | +0.1% |
Data: 2024 regional price parities for metro areas and states, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
What rent costs in Portland, Oregon
In Portland, Oregon the typical asking rent is $1,719 a month, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks rent on homes listed right now; that is +1.6% on a year. In the US, it is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,648, and that measure includes every renting household rather than only new leases. Paying the asking rent for a year takes 23% of the median household income.
| Rent | Portland, Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,719 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.6% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,648 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income taken up by one year of asking rent | 23% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, estimates for a single year.
Portland, Oregon home prices
A typical home in Portland, Oregon had a value of $524,318 in September 2026, measured by the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI). That index reflects what a home in the middle of the market is worth. The figure is up +0.5% on a year, while the US figure is $366,157. Buying a home takes 5.7 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years for the US.
| Home prices | Portland, Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $524,318 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +0.5% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +26.9% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.7 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 25.4 | 15.8 |
For Portland, Oregon: price chart since 2000, days on market, and the forecast. Portland, Oregon housing market.
The salary you need to live in Portland, Oregon
Where you live and what you earn: two questions that give the salary in Portland, Oregon matching what your pay buys now.
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- Salary
The method, plus every city side by side: city-by-city cost of living comparison.
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Cost of living in Portland, Oregon compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Usual rent | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, Oregon | 105.4 | 125.1 | $1,719 | $524,318 |
| Salem | 103.6 | 110.3 | $1,611 | $432,418 |
| Bend | 103.6 | 110.0 | $2,284 | $721,430 |
| 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, where the US = 100. Rent figures come from Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
Every city, ranked: city-by-city cost of living comparison. Each state: cost of living in each state.