Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Salem?

Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Salem?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Salem?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Omaha vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salem, OR, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 1% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$908

$1,075

+18% in Salem, OR

1 Bedroom

$984

$989

+1% in Salem, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,337

+12% in Salem, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,778

+24% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$382,400

+66% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$71,900

+1% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$55,310

+11% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

35.7 yr

+0.4 yr in Salem, OR

Homeownership

57.7%

55.7%

+2.0 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

31.4%

+8.9 pp in Omaha, NE

Avg Commute

19.6 min

22.4 min

+2.8 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

359

540.6

+51% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

3,153.5

2,878.6

+9% in Omaha, NE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.1°F

53.0°F

+1.9°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

39.7 in

+9.1 in in Salem, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Salem, OR

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

16.3

+20% in Salem, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.53

$20.59

+33% in Salem, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salem, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / OR)

5.5%

None

+5.5 pp in NE

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

9.90%

+5.4 pp in OR

Omaha vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Salem?: Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Salem?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Salem 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).