Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Tampa?

Tampa, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $53,000 in Tampa.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Tampa?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Portland vs Tampa Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,600/mo est.

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Tampa, FL is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 20% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$1,242

+4% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$1,324

+8% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,673

+4% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,729

+16% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$375,300

+33% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$71,302

+20% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$48,940

+19% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

35.6 yr

+3.0 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

52.8%

50.2%

+2.6 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

44.6%

+8.9 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

24.7 min

+0.1 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

731.7

443.4

+39% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

5,605.5

1,473.2

+74% 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

73.4°F

+18.9°F in Tampa, FL

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

46.3 in

+3.4 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.25/gal

+24% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

$2.00

+29% in Portland, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.9

+0% in Portland, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.98

$23.62

+31% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Portland, OR

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Portland, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Portland, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / FL)

None

+6.0 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

None

+9.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Tampa?: Tampa, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Tampa?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Tampa?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).