Milwaukie, OR vs Battle Ground, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Battle Ground, WA has a modeled overall cost index 0.1% higher than Milwaukie, OR.

Milwaukie, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,870 / month
Battle Ground, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,800 / 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 Milwaukie, OR and Battle Ground, 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 Milwaukie, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $4.91/month in Battle Ground, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,059 in Battle Ground, WA

Regional cost estimates: Milwaukie, OR uses Portland, OR. Battle Ground, WA uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$4.91

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$58.96

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.

Milwaukie, OR

Population:22K

Cost Index:

120.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$481K

Battle Ground, WA

Population:22K

Cost Index:

120.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$594K

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Milwaukie, OR

The Beaver State

22K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 22K residents.

Battle Ground, WA

The Evergreen State

22K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 22K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Milwaukie, OR vs Battle Ground, 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	Milwaukie, OR	Battle Ground, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,121/mo	$3,123/mo	↑ $2.30more	0.1%
Other	$1,419/mo	$1,420/mo	↑ $1.05more	0.1%
Transportation	$1,269/mo	$1,270/mo	↑ $0.94more	0.1%
Groceries	$819/mo	$819/mo	↑ $0.30more	0.0%
Healthcare	$508/mo	$508/mo	↑ $0.19more	0.0%
All Utilities	$364/mo	$364/mo	↑ $0.13more	0.0%

Housing

↑ 0.1%

Milwaukie, OR

$3,121

Battle Ground, WA

$3,123

Difference

$2.30

Other

↑ 0.1%

Milwaukie, OR

$1,419

Battle Ground, WA

$1,420

Difference

$1.05

Transportation

↑ 0.1%

Milwaukie, OR

$1,269

Battle Ground, WA

$1,270

Difference

$0.94

Groceries

↑ 0.0%

Milwaukie, OR

$819

Battle Ground, WA

$819

Difference

$0.30

Healthcare

↑ 0.0%

Milwaukie, OR

$508

Battle Ground, WA

$508

Difference

$0.19

All Utilities

↑ 0.0%

Milwaukie, OR

$364

Battle Ground, WA

$364

Difference

$0.13

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,530

To$1,470

↓ $60.00

1 Bed

From$1,630

To$1,580

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,870

To$1,800

↓ $70.00

3 Bed

From$2,550

To$2,470

↓ $80.00

Milwaukie, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$1,630/mo

Battle Ground, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,580–$1,580/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 Milwaukie, OR

$7,505

Monthly in Battle Ground, WA

$4.91

Difference

Home Values

Milwaukie

Battle Ground

$481K

Median Value

$594K

↓ -0.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.2%

↑ +18.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +30.2%

Homes in Battle Ground are 24% more expensive than Milwaukie

Calculate payment - Milwaukie Calculate payment - Battle Ground

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

Milwaukie, 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

Battle Ground, 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

Milwaukie, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Battle Ground, 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

Milwaukie

Battle Ground

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 Milwaukie, OR to Battle Ground, WA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Battle Ground, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Milwaukie, 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 Milwaukie to Battle Ground moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Milwaukie, OR vs Battle Ground, WA

How do the cost estimates for Milwaukie, OR and Battle Ground, WA compare?

Battle Ground, WA has a modeled overall cost index 0.1% higher than Milwaukie, 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 Milwaukie, OR, the model estimates $150,059 in Battle Ground, 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 Milwaukie, OR and Battle Ground, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,870/month in Milwaukie, OR and $1,800/month in Battle Ground, 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