Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Rochester

New York

$1,160/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 $1,160 in Rochester, NY. Overall, Rochester, NY is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $46,628 in Rochester, NY — about 47% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Rochester, NY

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$750
+42% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$857
+40% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,114
+36% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,240
+40% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$120,600
+78% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$46,628
+47% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$51,210
+16% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
33.5 yr
+5.1 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
37.2%
+15.6 pp in Portland, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
29.9%
+23.6 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
18.9 min
+5.7 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
732.3
690
+6% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
5,609.4
3,533.4
+37% 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
48.2°F
+6.3°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
34.3 in
+8.6 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$4.04/gal
+21% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs New York.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.3
29.9
+84% in Rochester, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.59
$22.74
+10% in Rochester, NY

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
$1.92
+6% in Portland, OR
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Portland, OR
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Rochester, NY
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / NY)
None
4%
+4.0 pp in NY
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
10.90%
+1.0 pp in NY

Portland vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Rochester?
Rochester, NY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% 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 $34,000 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 New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% 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).