Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Spokane

Washington

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Spokane, WA. Overall, Spokane, WA is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $65,745 in Spokane, WA — about 26% higher in Portland, OR. 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
Spokane, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$884
+32% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$903
+37% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,192
+32% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,442
+30% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$326,200
+41% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$65,745
+26% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$54,660
+10% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
37.2 yr
+1.4 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
58.3%
+5.5 pp in Spokane, WA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
32.6%
+20.9 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
21.2 min
+3.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
732.3
683.6
+7% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
5,609.4
4,931.8
+12% 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
48.9°F
+5.6°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
17.8 in
+25.1 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.12/gal
+1% in Spokane, WA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Washington.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.3
14.9
+8% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.59
$20.41
+1% 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 / WA)
None
6.5%
+6.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
None
+9.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Spokane — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Spokane?
Spokane, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Spokane?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $36,000 in Spokane.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Spokane?
Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Spokane 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).