Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Rapid City?

Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $32,000 in Rapid City.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Rapid City?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Rapid City under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax).

Portland vs Rapid City Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,620 in Portland, OR versus $970 in Rapid City, SD. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $65,712 in Rapid City, SD — about 26% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Rapid City, SD

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$533

+59% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$807

+44% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,156

+34% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,260

+39% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$270,000

+52% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$65,712

+26% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$46,270

+24% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

39.0 yr

+0.4 yr in Rapid City, SD

Homeownership

52.8%

61.6%

+8.8 pp in Rapid City, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

36.4%

+17.1 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

17.4 min

+7.2 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

732.3

718.9

+2% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

5,609.4

3,795.8

+32% 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

54.5°F

47.1°F

+7.4°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

16.3 in

+26.6 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.85/gal

+26% in Portland, OR

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

15.4

+6% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.60

$15.26

+29% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Rapid City, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Rapid City, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / SD)

None

4.2%

+4.2 pp in SD

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

None

+9.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Rapid City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Rapid City?: Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Rapid City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $32,000 in Rapid City.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Rapid City?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Rapid City under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).