Gresham, OR vs Auburn, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Auburn, WA has a modeled overall cost index 11.5% lower than Gresham, OR.

Gresham, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,880 / month
Auburn, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,160 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Gresham, OR and Auburn, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Gresham, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $708/month in Auburn, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $141,505 in Auburn, WA

Regional cost estimates: Gresham, OR uses Portland, OR. Auburn, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 11.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$708

Savings

Annual Impact

$8.5K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Gresham, OR

Population:111K

Cost Index:

125.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$467K

Auburn, WA

Population:84K

Cost Index:

110.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$479K

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Gresham, OR

The Beaver State

111K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 111K residents.

Auburn, WA

The Evergreen State

84K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 84K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Gresham, OR vs Auburn, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Gresham, OR	Auburn, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,134/mo	$2,309/mo	↓ $825less	26.3%
Other	$1,425/mo	$1,236/mo	↓ $189less	13.3%
Transportation	$1,274/mo	$1,431/mo	↑ $157more	12.3%
Healthcare	$500/mo	$628/mo	↑ $127more	25.4%
Groceries	$807/mo	$822/mo	↑ $14.82more	1.8%
All Utilities	$359/mo	$366/mo	↑ $7.37more	2.1%

Housing

↓ 26.3%

Gresham, OR

$3,134

Auburn, WA

$2,309

Difference

$825

less

Other

↓ 13.3%

Gresham, OR

$1,425

Auburn, WA

$1,236

Difference

$189

less

Transportation

↑ 12.3%

Gresham, OR

$1,274

Auburn, WA

$1,431

Difference

$157

Healthcare

↑ 25.4%

Gresham, OR

$500

Auburn, WA

$628

Difference

$127

Groceries

↑ 1.8%

Gresham, OR

$807

Auburn, WA

$822

Difference

$14.82

All Utilities

↑ 2.1%

Gresham, OR

$359

Auburn, WA

$366

Difference

$7.37

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,535

To$1,800

↑ $265

1 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,850

↑ $210

2 Bed

From$1,880

To$2,160

↑ $280

3 Bed

From$2,560

To$2,850

↑ $290

Gresham, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,600–$1,680/mo

Auburn, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,850–$1,850/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Gresham, OR

$6,792

Monthly in Auburn, WA

$708

Difference

Home Values

Gresham

Auburn

$467K

Median Value

$479K

↓ -0.9%

YoY Change

↓ -2.1%

↑ +18.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +24.3%

$427K - $506K

Price Range

$479K

Homes in Auburn are 3% more expensive than Gresham

Calculate payment - Gresham Calculate payment - Auburn

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $15.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$1,293

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Gresham, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Auburn, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Gresham, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Auburn, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Gresham

Auburn

35 Good

Air Quality

44 Good

85%

Good Air Days

72.4%

98 High

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

1 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

1 days

Before moving from Gresham, OR to Auburn, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Auburn, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Gresham, OR. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Gresham to Auburn moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Auburn, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Gresham, OR vs Auburn, WA

How do the cost estimates for Gresham, OR and Auburn, WA compare?

Auburn, WA has a modeled overall cost index 11.5% lower than Gresham, OR. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Gresham, OR, the model estimates $141,505 in Auburn, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Gresham, OR and Auburn, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,880/month in Gresham, OR and $2,160/month in Auburn, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Oregon and Washington on TaxTakeHome.com