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 | Phoenix | Portland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,377/mo | 4.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $411,600 | 17.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $71,498 | 0.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.7 | 98.3 | 0.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.9 | 124.0 | 17.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 104.2 | 101.0 | 3.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 103.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Phoenix, you'd need $97,270 in Portland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Portland, ME is about 2.7% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Portland than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $77,816 in Portland to keep the same standard of living.