Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 16% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$997
+23% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$1,166
+19% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,461
+16% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,993
+3% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$495,700
+11% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$74,925
+16% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$55,240
+9% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
33.0 yr
+5.6 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
46.8%
+6.0 pp in Portland, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
50.9%
+2.6 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
19.6 min
+5.0 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
732.3
878.8
+20% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
5,609.4
5,257.3
+6% 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
52.8°F
+1.7°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
16.1 in
+26.8 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$4.29/gal
+16% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.3
13.0
+20% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.59
$10.26
+50% in Portland, OR

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 / UT)
None
6.1%
+6.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
4.50%
+5.4 pp in OR

Portland vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Salt Lake City?
Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).