Is it cheaper to live in Jersey City or Portland?

Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Jersey City versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Jersey City or Portland?

Jersey City is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Jersey City vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 6% higher in Jersey City, NJ. New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Jersey City, NJ

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,949

$1,294

+34% in Jersey City, NJ

1 Bedroom

$1,853

$1,440

+22% in Jersey City, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,857

$1,741

+6% in Jersey City, NJ

3 Bedroom

$2,004

$2,053

+2% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$534,500

$557,600

+4% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$94,813

$88,792

+6% in Jersey City, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,430

$60,690

+1% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.7 yr

38.6 yr

+3.9 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

28.8%

52.8%

+24.0 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.1%

53.5%

+0.4 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

36.9 min

24.6 min

+12.3 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

562.9

732.3

+30% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

2,036.4

5,609.4

+175% 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

55.0°F

54.5°F

+0.5°F in Jersey City, NJ

Annual Precipitation

49.9 in

42.9 in

+7.1 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Portland, OR

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

24.9

16.3

+35% in Jersey City, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.68

$21.60

+22% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Jersey City, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NJ / OR)

6.625%

None

+6.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

10.75%

9.90%

+0.8 pp in NJ

Jersey City vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jersey City or Portland?: Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jersey City than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Jersey City versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Jersey City or Portland?: Jersey City is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).