Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Eugene

Oregon

$1,260/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in El Paso, TX versus $1,260 in Eugene, OR. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Eugene, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $63,836 in Eugene, OR — about 8% higher in Eugene, 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.

Rent

Studio
$707
$1,011
+43% in Eugene, OR
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,080
+32% in Eugene, OR
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,411
+42% in Eugene, OR
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,674
+34% in Eugene, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$435,400
+154% in Eugene, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$63,836
+9% in Eugene, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$49,680
+26% in Eugene, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
35.4 yr
+1.3 yr in Eugene, OR
Homeownership
60.2%
47.6%
+12.6 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
44.2%
+16.7 pp in Eugene, OR
Avg Commute
23.7 min
18.6 min
+5.1 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
319.6
+0% in El Paso, TX
Property Crime
1,509.3
3,348.9
+122% in Eugene, OR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.6°F
52.5°F
+12.1°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
46.1 in
+36.4 in in Eugene, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.09/gal
+41% in Eugene, OR

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
16.3
+1% in El Paso, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$20.59
+32% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Eugene, OR
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Eugene, OR
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in El Paso, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Eugene, OR
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Eugene, OR
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Eugene, 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

El Paso vs Eugene — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Eugene?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Eugene, OR's $1,260, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Eugene?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $43,000 in Eugene.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Eugene?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Eugene 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).