Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Sioux Falls

South Dakota

$1,030/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 $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD — about 16% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Sioux Falls, SD

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$825
+36% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$870
+40% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,000
+43% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,237
+40% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$271,400
+51% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$74,714
+16% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$47,970
+21% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
35.1 yr
+3.5 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
60.0%
+7.2 pp in Sioux Falls, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
37.4%
+16.1 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
17.0 min
+7.6 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
732.3
526.7
+28% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
5,609.4
2,927.1
+48% 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
45.8°F
+8.7°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
26.4 in
+16.5 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$3.94/gal
+23% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.3
15.7
+3% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.59
$10.95
+47% in Portland, OR

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
$1.66
+19% in Portland, OR
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Sioux Falls, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Portland, OR
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Sioux Falls, SD
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / SD)
None
4.2%
+4.2 pp in SD
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
None
+9.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Sioux Falls — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Sioux Falls?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Sioux Falls?
Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).