Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Salem

Oregon

$1,170/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 $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR 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 $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 19% higher in Portland, OR. Both cities are in Oregon, so state taxes are identical: a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Salem, OR

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$1,075
+17% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$989
+31% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,337
+23% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,778
+13% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$382,400
+31% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$71,900
+19% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$55,310
+9% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
35.7 yr
+2.9 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
55.7%
+2.9 pp in Salem, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
31.4%
+22.1 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
22.4 min
+2.2 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
732.3
540.6
+26% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
5,609.4
2,878.6
+49% 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
53.0°F
+1.5°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
39.7 in
+3.2 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.09/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.3
16.3
about equal
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.59
$20.59
about equal

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / OR)
None
None
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
9.90%
about equal

Portland vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Salem?
Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (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 Salem?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Salem?
Neither — both are in Oregon, so they share the same state tax rates: 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).