Question 1

Is Los Angeles or Portland cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Portland, OR is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,600/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,903/mo in Los Angeles versus $1,922/mo in Portland.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Los Angeles vs Portland?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Los Angeles, CA and $89,000/year in Portland, OR — a difference of about $33,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Los Angeles or Portland cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Portland, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $11,266/month in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles or Portland?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Portland 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	Los Angeles47	Portland58
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,022	$4,422
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$11,266	$8,478
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$89,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,903	$1,922
Median home value	$879,500	$557,600
Median household income	$80,366	$88,792
Unemployment	5.3%	4.7%
Housing score	2	38
Jobs score	25	26
Safety score	47	53
Climate score	100	93
Amenities score	100	79
Population	3.9M	642.7K
Summer high / winter low	89° / 47°	80° / 38°

Los Angeles, CA vs Portland, OR