Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Portland?

Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Portland?

Austin 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).

Austin vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,650/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 $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 3% higher in Austin, TX. 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.

Austin, TX

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,294

+4% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,440

+1% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,741

+2% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$2,053

+3% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$557,600

+9% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$88,792

+3% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$60,690

+7% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

38.6 yr

+4.1 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

44.4%

52.8%

+8.4 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

53.5%

+4.7 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

24.6 min

+0.6 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

475.9

731.7

+54% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

3,290.2

5,605.5

+70% 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

67.2°F

54.5°F

+12.7°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

42.9 in

+8.0 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)

$1.25

$2.80

+124% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

14.9

+9% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$17.98

+27% in Austin, 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

Austin vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Portland?: Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Portland?: Austin 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).