Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Portland?

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Portland, OR's $1,600, 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 $58,000 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 Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Jacksonville vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 25% higher in Portland, OR. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$1,294

+15% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,146

$1,440

+26% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,385

$1,741

+26% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,545

$2,053

+33% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,100

$557,600

+110% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$66,981

$88,792

+33% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,830

$60,690

+24% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

38.6 yr

+2.2 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

57.4%

52.8%

+4.6 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.8%

53.5%

+21.7 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.1 min

24.6 min

+0.5 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

557.6

731.7

+31% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

2,599.5

5,605.5

+116% 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

70.2°F

54.5°F

+15.7°F in Jacksonville, FL

Annual Precipitation

49.2 in

42.9 in

+6.3 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.25/gal

$5.57/gal

+31% in Portland, OR

Area: Florida vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

$2.80

+60% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.9

+0% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.62

$17.98

+24% in Jacksonville, FL

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 (FL / OR)

None

+6.0 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

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 18% below Portland, OR's $1,600, 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 $58,000 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 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).