Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,600/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,020/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,600 in Portland, OR versus $2,020 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 27% higher in Seattle, WA. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$1,638
+27% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$1,858
+29% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$2,359
+35% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$2,918
+42% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$912,100
+64% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$121,984
+37% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$72,610
+20% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
35.5 yr
+3.1 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
44.2%
+8.6 pp in Portland, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
67.5%
+14.0 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
24.6 min
26.6 min
+2.0 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
731.7
787.3
+8% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
5,605.5
5,107.9
+9% 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
53.5°F
+1.0°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
37.7 in
+5.1 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.77/gal
+4% in Seattle, WA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
$2.75
+2% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
14.4
+3% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.98
$17.32
+4% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / WA)
None
6.5%
+6.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
None
+9.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Seattle?
Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Seattle, WA's $2,020, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Seattle?
Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).