Medford, OR vs Albany, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Albany, OR has a modeled overall cost index 18.3% higher than Medford, OR.

Medford, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,570 / month
Albany, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,490 / 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 Medford, OR and Albany, OR 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 Medford, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,195/month in Albany, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $164,336 in Albany, OR

Regional cost estimates: Medford, OR uses Portland, OR. Albany, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 18.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,195

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$14.3K

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.

Medford, OR

Population:85K

Cost Index:

94.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$434K

Albany, OR

Population:57K

Cost Index:

111.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$500K

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Medford, OR

The Beaver State

85K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 85K residents.

Albany, OR

The Beaver State

57K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 57K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Medford, OR vs Albany, OR

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	Medford, OR	Albany, OR	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,031/mo	$3,585/mo	↑ $554more	18.3%
Other	$1,378/mo	$1,630/mo	↑ $252more	18.3%
Transportation	$1,232/mo	$1,458/mo	↑ $225more	18.3%
Groceries	$900/mo	$979/mo	↑ $78.86more	8.8%
Healthcare	$558/mo	$607/mo	↑ $48.90more	8.8%
All Utilities	$400/mo	$435/mo	↑ $35.06more	8.8%

Housing

↑ 18.3%

Medford, OR

$3,031

Albany, OR

$3,585

Difference

$554

Other

↑ 18.3%

Medford, OR

$1,378

Albany, OR

$1,630

Difference

$252

Transportation

↑ 18.3%

Medford, OR

$1,232

Albany, OR

$1,458

Difference

$225

Groceries

↑ 8.8%

Medford, OR

$900

Albany, OR

$979

Difference

$78.86

Healthcare

↑ 8.8%

Medford, OR

$558

Albany, OR

$607

Difference

$48.90

All Utilities

↑ 8.8%

Medford, OR

$400

Albany, OR

$435

Difference

$35.06

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,080

To$1,080

→ $0

1 Bed

From$1,260

To$1,210

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,570

To$1,490

↓ $80.00

3 Bed

From$2,180

To$2,080

↓ $100

Medford, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,260–$1,260/mo

Albany, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,210–$1,210/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 Medford, OR

$8,695

Monthly in Albany, OR

$1,195

Difference

Home Values

Medford

Albany

$434K

Median Value

$500K

↑ +0.2%

YoY Change

↑ +0.1%

↑ +21.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.5%

Homes in Albany are 15% more expensive than Medford

Calculate payment - Medford Calculate payment - Albany

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Medford, 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

Albany, 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

Additional Tax Information

Medford, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Albany, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

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

Medford

Albany

35 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

85%

Good Air Days

85%

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Medford, OR to Albany, OR

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Albany, OR for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Medford, 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 Medford to Albany moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Medford, OR vs Albany, OR

How do the cost estimates for Medford, OR and Albany, OR compare?

Albany, OR has a modeled overall cost index 18.3% higher than Medford, 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 Medford, OR, the model estimates $164,336 in Albany, OR. 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 Medford, OR and Albany, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,570/month in Medford, OR and $1,490/month in Albany, OR. 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.