Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

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 Santa Fe.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Santa Fe?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Portland vs Santa Fe Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Santa Fe

New Mexico

$1,310/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 $1,310 in Santa Fe, NM. Overall, Santa Fe, NM is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $70,110 in Santa Fe, NM — about 21% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Santa Fe, NM

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$969

+25% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$1,167

+19% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,559

+10% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,733

+16% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$411,500

+26% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$70,110

+21% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$48,710

+20% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

46.4 yr

+7.8 yr in Santa Fe, NM

Homeownership

52.8%

62.8%

+10.0 pp in Santa Fe, NM

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

45.4%

+8.1 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

20.2 min

+4.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

732.3

843.3

+15% in Santa Fe, NM

Property Crime

5,609.4

5,189

+7% 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

51.9°F

+2.6°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

13.5 in

+29.4 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.62/gal

+29% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

14.1

+13% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.59

$11.90

+42% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / NM)

None

4.875%

+4.9 pp in NM

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

5.90%

+4.0 pp in OR

Portland vs Santa Fe — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Santa Fe?: Santa Fe, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,310 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Santa Fe?: 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 Santa Fe.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Santa Fe?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Santa Fe under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).