Route comparison
Seattle, WA vs Portland, OR: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Seattle, WA
WA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 113.7
- Housing RPP
- 154.8
- Goods RPP
- 116.2
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,645/mo
Washington has no state income tax. Sales tax 6.5%+local up to 10.5%.
Portland, OR
OR
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 108.8
- Housing RPP
- 128.5
- Goods RPP
- 109.1
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,024/mo
Oregon income tax 4.75%-9.9%. No state sales tax.
Equivalent salary
Portland, OR is cheaper than Seattle, WA by about 4.3% (RPP 113.7 to 108.8).
$60,000 in Seattle, WA
-> $57,414
in Portland, OR
$100,000 in Seattle, WA
-> $95,690
in Portland, OR
$150,000 in Seattle, WA
-> $143,536
in Portland, OR
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.
Migration signal: Seattle, WA vs Portland, OR
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Seattle, WA
- Net people
- −28,174
- Net rank
- #58 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Thurston County, WA.
Portland, OR
- Net people
- −9,476
- Net rank
- #48 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Marion County, OR. Largest destination: Marion County, OR.
Rent delta: Portland, OR is $621/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Seattle, WA. Housing RPP moves from 154.8 to 128.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Portland, OR cheaper or more expensive than Seattle, WA?
- Portland, OR (RPP 108.8) is cheaper than Seattle, WA (RPP 113.7) by about 4.3%.
- What salary do I need in Portland, OR if I earn $100,000 in Seattle, WA?
- You would need approximately $95,690 in Portland, OR to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Seattle, WA. Formula: $100,000 x (108.8 / 113.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Seattle, WA or Portland, OR?
- For 2021-2022, Seattle, WA had a net loss of 28,174 people, while Portland, OR had a net loss of 9,476 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.