Question 1

Is Detroit or Portland cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $373/month less than in Portland, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $1,922/mo in Portland.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Portland?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $89,000/year in Portland, OR — a difference of about $11,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Portland cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $8,478/month in Portland, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Portland?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit59	Portland58
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$4,422
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$8,478
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$89,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$1,922
Median home value	$76,800	$557,600
Median household income	$39,575	$88,792
Unemployment	10.7%	4.7%
Housing score	62	38
Jobs score	37	26
Safety score	18	53
Climate score	87	93
Amenities score	82	79
Population	636.6K	642.7K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	80° / 38°

Detroit, MI vs Portland, OR