Cost of LivingUpdated 2026-11-11

Portland, Oregon

Living in Portland, Oregon is about 18% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 118 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,803 a month, 7% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.62 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 41% of the area's $86,247 median household income.

Key Numbers

Gas (Regular)

$4.62

National: $3.98

โ†‘ 183.8%since 2000
โœ“ AAA Gas Prices

Avg Rent (All)

$1,803

National: $1,932

โ†‘ 12.1%since 2021
โœ“ Zillow ZORI Portland, OR metro (2026-09)

Grocery Inflation

1.77%

Year-over-year

โœ“ BLS/FRED CPI

Fast Food Avg

$13.50

Combo meal

โ†‘ 5.0%YoY

Electricity

15.92ยข

per kWh ยท ~$143/mo

โ†“ 13.7%vs US avg
โœ“ EIA Residential

Car Insurance

$148/mo

$1,780/yr

โ†“ 17.2%vs national avg
โœ“ Bankrate/NAIC

Median Household Income

$86,247

40.6% goes to essentials

โ†“ 40.6%cost burden
โœ“ Census ACS 2023
๐Ÿš—

Car Insurance

Avg $1,780 in Portland. Compare rates:

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Find Apartments

Avg rent $1,803/mo in Portland. Browse listings:

Browse listings โ†’Verified listings

Grocery Prices

Grocery Prices โ€” 2000 to Present

National BLS averages ยท submit local prices below โ†“

Eggs (dozen)

Bird flu volatility

$0.97 in 2000 โ†’ $2.32 BLS avg

+137.9%

Milk (gallon)

$2.79 in 2000 โ†’ $4.10 BLS avg

$4.59 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+47.3%

Ground Beef (lb)

$1.48 in 2000 โ†’ $6.75 BLS avg

$6.49 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+355.5%

Bread (loaf)

$0.91 in 2000 โ†’ $1.86 BLS avg

$4.79 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+105.2%

Chicken Breast (lb)

$1.06 in 2000 โ†’ $2.03 BLS avg

$4.89 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+91.3%

Butter (lb)

$3.98 BLS avg

$4.79 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

-4.2% since 2018

Bacon (lb)

$2.75 in 2000 โ†’ $6.69 BLS avg

$3.99 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+143.1%

Cheddar Cheese (lb)

$3.84 in 2000 โ†’ $6.13 BLS avg

$7.00 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+59.6%

Pasta (lb)

$0.88 in 2000 โ†’ $1.38 BLS avg

$1.75 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+57.1%

Rice (5 lb)

$2.50 in 2000 โ†’ $5.50 BLS avg

$4.72 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+120.6%

Coffee (12 oz)

$2.65 in 2000 โ†’ $6.94 BLS avg

$9.99 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+161.3%

Orange Juice (64 oz)

Citrus shortage

$5.98 estimate

+43.1% since 2022

Potatoes (5 lb)

$1.96 in 2000 โ†’ $4.95 BLS avg

$2.99 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+152.6%

Apples (3 lb)

$5.91 estimate

$3.99 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+13.7% since 2022

Tomatoes (lb)

$1.44 in 2000 โ†’ $2.08 BLS avg

$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+44.4%

Lettuce (head)

$0.75 in 2000 โ†’ $1.96 BLS avg

+162.3%

Cooking Oil (48 oz)

$8.75 estimate

$3.79 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+44.6% since 2022

Yogurt (32 oz)

$5.60 estimate

$5.49 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+19.9% since 2022

Cereal (family size)

$7.04 estimate

$5.00 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+29.4% since 2022

Frozen Pizza

$9.65 estimate

$5.69 @ Fred Meyer - Hollywood West (Nov 2026)

+44.2% since 2022

Dining & Restaurants

Fast Food Meal

$13.50

Casual Dining

$39.32

Monthly Spend

$717.01

+5% YoY

Chain Restaurant Meal Prices โ€” 2022 vs. Today

Combo meal / typical order for one

McDonald's

2022: $13.88

$22.39

+61.3%

Wendy's

2022: $15.67

$24.18

+54.3%

Chipotle

2022: $16.79

$25.08

+49.4%

Starbucks

2022: $6.98

$9.70

+39.0%

Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.

Looking for an Apartment in Portland?

Average 1BR: $1,478/mo ยท 2BR: $2,128/mo

Browse Portland Apartments โ†’

Local Workforce

2024 ยท BLS QCEW

Total Jobs

499k

Median Weekly Pay

$1,553

$81k/yr

Top Sector

Trade, Transportation & Utilities

Household vs Worker Pay

$86k

household median

Employment by Sector โ€” Portland

% of local workforce ยท avg weekly wage ยท 5-year growth trend

Trade, Transportation & Utilities
-3.0% 5yr$1,274/wk
18.7%

~$66k/yr

Education & Health Services
+4.5% 5yr$1,346/wk
16.6%

~$70k/yr

Professional & Business Services
-4.0% 5yr$1,983/wk
16.3%

~$103k/yr

Leisure & Hospitality
-12.0% 5yr$739/wk
10.4%

~$38k/yr

Construction
-17.4% 5yr$1,412/wk
5.9%

~$73k/yr

Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual ยท County FIPS 41051

Highest Paying Sector

Financial Activities

$2,071/wk ยท $108k/yr

Most Workers (lowest wage)

Leisure & Hospitality

$739/wk ยท $38k/yr

Portland Cost of Living FAQ

Is Portland, OR expensive to live in?

Portland has a cost of living index of 118, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 18% more expensive than average. It is the most expensive of the 11 Oregon cities we track.

What is the average rent in Portland, OR?

Typical rent in Portland is $1,803 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 7% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,478 and two bedrooms about $2,128. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.

Is rent going up in Portland?

Rent in Portland rose 1.1% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.

How much is gas in Portland?

Regular unleaded costs about $4.62 a gallon in Portland as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Oregon. That is 16% above the national average of $3.98.

How much is electricity in Portland?

Homes in Oregon pay an average of 15.9 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Portland is about $143.

How much is car insurance in Portland?

Full coverage car insurance averages $1,780 a year in Oregon, or about $148 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.

How much do you need to live in Portland?

Median household income in the Portland area is $86,247 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $35,020 a year, or 41% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).

How does Portland compare with the rest of Oregon?

Rent in Portland is 7% above the $1,685 average across the 11 Oregon cities we track, and its cost of living index of 118 compares with a state average of 114.

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