Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,010/mo est.

vs
Portland

Oregon

$1,600/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,010 in El Paso, TX versus $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 34% 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.

El Paso, TX
Portland, OR

Rent

Studio
$707
$1,294
+83% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,440
+76% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,741
+75% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$2,053
+64% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$557,600
+225% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$88,792
+51% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$60,690
+54% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
38.6 yr
+4.5 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
60.2%
52.8%
+7.4 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
53.5%
+26.0 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
23.7 min
24.6 min
+0.9 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
731.7
+129% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
1,509.3
5,605.5
+271% 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
64.6°F
54.5°F
+10.1°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
42.9 in
+33.1 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)
$1.50
$2.80
+87% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.9
+9% in El Paso, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$17.98
+27% in El Paso, 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

El Paso vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Portland?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Portland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Portland?
El Paso 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).