Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Portland?

Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Portland?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Portland?

Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Aberdeen vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Aberdeen

South Dakota

$740/mo est.

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $740 in Aberdeen, SD versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Aberdeen, SD is roughly 54% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,715 in Aberdeen, SD and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 28% higher in Portland, OR. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Aberdeen, SD

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$529

$1,294

+145% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$576

$1,440

+150% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$824

$1,741

+111% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$924

$2,053

+122% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$205,500

$557,600

+171% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$63,715

$88,792

+39% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$60,690

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.8 yr

38.6 yr

+2.8 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

58.4%

52.8%

+5.6 pp in Aberdeen, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.6%

53.5%

+19.9 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

11.1 min

24.6 min

+13.5 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

275

732.3

+166% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

1,421.2

5,609.4

+295% in Portland, OR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

43.0°F

54.5°F

+11.5°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

21.7 in

42.9 in

+21.1 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$5.21/gal

+35% in Portland, OR

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.80

Adult base one-way fare — — vs TriMet (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

16.3

+6% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$21.60

+42% in Portland, OR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Aberdeen, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Aberdeen, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Portland, OR

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / OR)

4.2%

None

+4.2 pp in SD

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Aberdeen vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Portland?: Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Portland?: Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).