City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Eugene | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,269/mo | $1,224/mo | 3.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $406,000 | $349,500 | 16.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $61,481 | $67,540 | 9.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.6 | 102.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 122.7 | 122.0 | 0.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.5 | 100.6 | 0.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 98.7 | 1.2% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Eugene, you'd need $98,103 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Salem, OR is about 1.9% cheaper overall than Eugene, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% lower in Salem than in Eugene. If you earn $80,000 in Eugene, you'd need about $78,483 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.