Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Portland?

Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Portland?

Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Morgantown vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/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 $950 in Morgantown, WV versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $42,245 in Morgantown, WV and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 52% higher in Portland, OR. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Morgantown, WV

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$836

$1,294

+55% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$770

$1,440

+87% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$969

$1,741

+80% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,038

$2,053

+98% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$238,200

$557,600

+134% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$42,245

$88,792

+110% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,350

$60,690

+28% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

24.0 yr

38.6 yr

+14.6 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

44.3%

52.8%

+8.5 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.1%

53.5%

+4.6 pp in Morgantown, WV

Avg Commute

17.3 min

24.6 min

+7.3 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

216.3

732.3

+239% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

1,976.4

5,609.4

+184% 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

53.0°F

54.5°F

+1.5°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

41.8 in

42.9 in

+1.0 in in Portland, OR

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)

15.4

16.3

+6% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.68

$21.60

+12% in Morgantown, WV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Morgantown, WV

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Portland, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WV / OR)

None

+6.0 pp in WV

Income Tax (top rate)

4.82%

9.90%

+5.1 pp in OR

Morgantown vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Portland?: Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Morgantown than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Portland?: Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% 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).