Is it cheaper to live in Boston or Portland?

Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Boston, MA's $2,290, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $79,000 a year in Boston versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Boston or Portland?

Boston is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).

Boston vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Boston

Massachusetts

$2,290/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 $2,290 in Boston, MA versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Boston, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $94,755 in Boston, MA and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 6% higher in Boston, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Boston, MA

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,890

$1,294

+32% in Boston, MA

1 Bedroom

$1,978

$1,440

+27% in Boston, MA

2 Bedroom

$2,155

$1,741

+19% in Boston, MA

3 Bedroom

$2,234

$2,053

+8% in Boston, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$710,400

$557,600

+22% in Boston, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$94,755

$88,792

+6% in Boston, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$66,620

$60,690

+9% in Boston, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.2 yr

38.6 yr

+5.4 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

35.4%

52.8%

+17.4 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

54.1%

53.5%

+0.6 pp in Boston, MA

Avg Commute

30.2 min

24.6 min

+5.6 min in Boston, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

630.2

732.3

+16% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

2,030.8

5,609.4

+176% 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

51.5°F

54.5°F

+3.0°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

43.8 in

42.9 in

+0.9 in in Boston, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.95/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Portland, OR

Area: Massachusetts vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.8

16.3

+44% in Boston, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.39

$20.59

+34% in Boston, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Boston, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / OR)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

9.00%

9.90%

+0.9 pp in OR

Boston vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Boston or Portland?: Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Boston, MA's $2,290, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Boston than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $79,000 a year in Boston versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Boston or Portland?: Boston is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).