Olympia, WA vs Oregon City, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Oregon City, OR has a modeled overall cost index 11.3% higher than Olympia, WA.

Olympia, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,910 / month
Oregon City, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,940 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Olympia, WA and Oregon City, 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 Olympia, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $666/month in Oregon City, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $157,992 in Oregon City, OR

Regional cost estimates: Olympia, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Oregon City, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 11.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$666

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$8.0K

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.

Olympia, WA

Population:56K

Cost Index:

109.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$542K

Oregon City, OR

Population:37K

Cost Index:

122.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$586K

Planning the move to Oregon City?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Olympia, WA

The Evergreen State

56K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 56K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Oregon City, OR

The Beaver State

37K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 37K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Olympia, WA vs Oregon City, 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	Olympia, WA	Oregon City, OR	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,547/mo	$3,403/mo	↑ $856more	33.6%
Transportation	$1,578/mo	$1,384/mo	↓ $195less	12.3%
Other	$1,364/mo	$1,548/mo	↑ $184more	13.5%
Healthcare	$695/mo	$550/mo	↓ $145less	20.9%
Groceries	$911/mo	$887/mo	↓ $23.37less	2.6%
All Utilities	$406/mo	$395/mo	↓ $11.25less	2.8%

Housing

↑ 33.6%

Olympia, WA

$2,547

Oregon City, OR

$3,403

Difference

$856

Transportation

↓ 12.3%

Olympia, WA

$1,578

Oregon City, OR

$1,384

Difference

$195

less

Other

↑ 13.5%

Olympia, WA

$1,364

Oregon City, OR

$1,548

Difference

$184

Healthcare

↓ 20.9%

Olympia, WA

$695

Oregon City, OR

$550

Difference

$145

less

Groceries

↓ 2.6%

Olympia, WA

$911

Oregon City, OR

$887

Difference

$23.37

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.8%

Olympia, WA

$406

Oregon City, OR

$395

Difference

$11.25

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,500

To$1,580

↑ $80.00

1 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,690

↑ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,910

To$1,940

↑ $30.00

3 Bed

From$2,550

To$2,640

↑ $90.00

Olympia, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,640–$1,710/mo

Oregon City, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,690–$1,690/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 Olympia, WA

$8,166

Monthly in Oregon City, OR

$666

Difference

Home Values

Olympia

Oregon City

$542K

Median Value

$586K

↑ +0.5%

YoY Change

↓ -0.6%

↑ +27.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +24.2%

$539K - $562K

Price Range

$586K

Homes in Oregon City are 8% more expensive than Olympia

Calculate payment - Olympia Calculate payment - Oregon City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $15.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$1,293

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Olympia, 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

Oregon City, 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

Olympia, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Oregon City, 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

Olympia

Oregon City

44 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

85%

99 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Olympia, WA to Oregon City, OR

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Olympia, WA vs Oregon City, OR

How do the cost estimates for Olympia, WA and Oregon City, OR compare?

Oregon City, OR has a modeled overall cost index 11.3% higher than Olympia, WA. 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 Olympia, WA, the model estimates $157,992 in Oregon City, 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 Olympia, WA and Oregon City, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,910/month in Olympia, WA and $1,940/month in Oregon City, 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.

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