Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Portland

Maine

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,620 in Portland, ME. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, ME, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $76,174 in Portland, ME — about 12% higher in Portland, ME. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Portland, ME

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$1,038
+8% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,331
+16% in Portland, ME
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,664
+20% in Portland, ME
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,919
+24% in Portland, ME

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$452,600
+70% in Portland, ME

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$76,174
+14% in Portland, ME
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$56,960
+17% in Portland, ME

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
37.5 yr
+1.1 yr in Portland, ME
Homeownership
57.4%
46.7%
+10.7 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
59.2%
+27.4 pp in Portland, ME
Avg Commute
24.1 min
19.9 min
+4.2 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
272.7
+51% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,600.1
2,513.3
+3% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
46.5°F
+23.7°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
47.3 in
+1.9 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.86/gal
+3% in Portland, ME

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
28.6
+89% in Portland, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$21.00
+11% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Portland, ME
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Portland, ME
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Jacksonville, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Portland, ME
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Portland, ME
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Portland, ME

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / ME)
6%
5.5%
+0.5 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.15%
+7.2 pp in ME

Jacksonville vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Portland?
Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Portland, ME's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Portland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $53,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Portland?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).