City comparison

Portland vs Los Angeles Cost of Living

Compare overall indexes, housing costs, and budget targets between Portland (120.2) and Los Angeles (148.5).

Portland Index
120.2
Los Angeles Index
148.5
Portland Rent
$2,675
Los Angeles Rent
$4,025
Portland Home price
$500,000
Los Angeles Home price
$730,000

Salary equivalent calculator

Enter your current salary in Portland to estimate the income needed for a similar lifestyle in Los Angeles.

Equivalent salary in Los Angeles
$118,602
Based on the relative overall cost of living between Portland and Los Angeles.

Category-by-category differences

Use this table to see which categories make one city more or less expensive than the other.

CategoryPortlandLos AngelesDifference
Housing145208+63.0 (+43.4%)
Groceries112123+11.0 (+9.8%)
Transportation107118+11.0 (+10.3%)
Healthcare104111+7.0 (+6.7%)
Utilities101109+8.0 (+7.9%)
Miscellaneous109121+12.0 (+11.0%)

Budget comparison

Single
$5,440 / $7,070
Portland / Los Angeles
Couple
$9,030 / $11,740
Portland / Los Angeles
Family
$12,730 / $16,540
Portland / Los Angeles

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: Q1 2026

Data as of Q1 2026. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Cost of living indexes use the national average as baseline (100). Data is updated periodically.