Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Rochester?

Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $44,000 in Rochester.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Rochester?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Portland vs Rochester Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Rochester

Minnesota

$1,280/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 $1,280 in Rochester, MN. Overall, Rochester, MN is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $87,767 in Rochester, MN — about 1% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Rochester, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$1,080

+17% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$1,106

+23% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,243

+29% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,646

+20% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$287,500

+48% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$87,767

+1% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$60,620

+0% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

36.4 yr

+2.2 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

52.8%

65.4%

+12.6 pp in Rochester, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

50.1%

+3.4 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

17.2 min

+7.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

732.3

158.9

+78% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

5,609.4

1,379

+75% 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

45.4°F

+9.1°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

33.0 in

+9.8 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.95/gal

+22% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

16.9

+4% in Rochester, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.59

$14.95

+27% 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 Rochester, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Rochester, MN

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 / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

9.85%

+0.1 pp in OR

Portland vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Rochester?: Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Rochester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $44,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Rochester?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).