Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Portland?

Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Portland?

Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Arlington vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

Portland

Oregon

$1,600/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 17% higher in Portland, OR. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Arlington, TX

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,088

$1,294

+19% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$1,440

+22% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,410

$1,741

+23% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$2,053

+13% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$276,400

$557,600

+102% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$73,519

$88,792

+21% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$60,690

+18% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.6 yr

38.6 yr

+5.0 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

54.8%

52.8%

+2.0 pp in Arlington, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.1%

53.5%

+20.4 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

26.7 min

24.6 min

+2.1 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

492.4

731.7

+49% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

2,433.5

5,605.5

+130% 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

65.4°F

54.5°F

+10.9°F in Arlington, TX

Annual Precipitation

39.6 in

42.9 in

+3.3 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$5.57/gal

+41% in Portland, OR

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

N/A

$2.80

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs TriMet (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

14.9

+9% in Arlington, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$17.98

+27% in Arlington, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.37

+5% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$2.10

+21% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Portland, OR

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$7.23

+10% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.14

+12% in Portland, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.74

+21% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / OR)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Arlington vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Portland?: Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Portland?: Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).