Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Portland?

Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or Portland?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Denver vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 3% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Denver, CO

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$1,294

+14% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,440

+9% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,741

+11% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$2,053

+10% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$557,600

+5% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$88,792

+3% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$60,690

+3% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

38.6 yr

+3.4 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

49.1%

52.8%

+3.7 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

53.5%

+2.1 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

24.6 min

+0.8 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

998.3

731.7

+27% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

4,781.9

5,605.5

+17% 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

50.2°F

54.5°F

+4.3°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

42.9 in

+27.3 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.58/gal

$5.57/gal

+22% in Portland, OR

Area: Denver vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

$2.80

+2% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.7

14.9

+11% in Denver, CO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.64

$17.98

+54% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.10

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / OR)

2.9%

None

+2.9 pp in CO

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

9.90%

+5.5 pp in OR

Denver vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Portland?: Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Portland?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).