Living Cost Compare
Portland

Oregon

$1,600/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/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 $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ 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 $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 39% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Portland, OR
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,294
$795
+39% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,440
$891
+38% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,741
$1,146
+34% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$2,053
$1,520
+26% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$557,600
$242,200
+57% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$88,792
$54,546
+39% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,690
$47,760
+21% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.6 yr
34.6 yr
+4.0 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
52.8%
51.7%
+1.1 pp in Portland, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.5%
30.2%
+23.3 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
24.6 min
22.2 min
+2.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
731.7
645.8
+12% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
5,605.5
3,460
+38% 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
70.2°F
+15.7°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
42.9 in
11.6 in
+31.2 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.57/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.80
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
15.6
+5% in Tucson, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.98
$19.69
+10% in Tucson, AZ

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 / AZ)
None
5.6%
+5.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
9.90%
2.50%
+7.4 pp in OR

Portland vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Portland, OR's $1,600, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Tucson?
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 Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Tucson?
Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).