City profile
Portland, OR cost of living
OR · BLS RPP 108.8
Overall RPP
108.8
US = 100
Housing RPP
128.5
Housing component
Goods RPP
109.1
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$2,024/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Portland, OR sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#13 of 67
+8.8 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+10.4
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#14 of 67
+418/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Portland, OR
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Portland, OR metro.
Moved in
133,686
people · 86,623 households
Moved out
143,162
people · 87,139 households
Net
−9,476
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#48 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
-9,372
median -104 people
Largest flow share
3% in / 3% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Marion County, OR 3,734
- Los Angeles County, CA 3,368
- King County, WA 3,212
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,939
- Lane County, OR 1,847
Where residents moved to
- Marion County, OR 4,578
- Maricopa County, AZ 3,396
- Cowlitz County, WA 2,972
- King County, WA 2,956
- Deschutes County, OR 2,779
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Portland, OR?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Portland, OR | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $54,400 | $50,000 x (108.8/100) |
| $75,000 | $81,600 | $75,000 x (108.8/100) |
| $100,000 | $108,800 | $100,000 x (108.8/100) |
| $125,000 | $136,000 | $125,000 x (108.8/100) |
| $150,000 | $163,200 | $150,000 x (108.8/100) |
| $200,000 | $217,600 | $200,000 x (108.8/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Oregon income tax 4.75%-9.9%. No state sales tax.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Portland, OR?
- Portland, OR has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 108.8 (US average = 100). It is 8.8% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Portland, OR?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $108,800 in Portland, OR to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Portland, OR?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Portland, OR is approximately $2,024 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Portland, OR?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 133,686 people moved into the Portland, OR metro and 143,162 moved out — a net loss of roughly 9,476 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Marion County, OR.
Curated nearby & similar cities
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These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Portland, OR, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Portland, OR
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