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 $888/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 $105,000/year before tax in Los Angeles, CA and $89,000/year in Portland, OR — a difference of about $16,000. 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. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $12,135/month in Los Angeles and $10,916/month in Portland, including county-median childcare.

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 Angeles49	Portland59
Est. monthly cost (single)	$5,329	$4,441
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$12,135	$10,916
Salary for comfort	$105,000/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%	5.2%
Housing score	1	36
Jobs score	20	30
Safety score	47	53
Climate score	100	93
Amenities score	100	79
Population	3.9M	642.7K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 48°	81° / 36°

Los Angeles, CA vs Portland, OR