Oregon City, OR vs Des Moines, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Des Moines, WA has a modeled overall cost index 11.2% lower than Oregon City, OR.

Oregon City, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,940 / month
Des Moines, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,180 / 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 Oregon City, OR and Des Moines, 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 Oregon City, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $685/month in Des Moines, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $141,779 in Des Moines, WA

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

Overall Cost

↓ 11.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$685

Savings

Annual Impact

$8.2K

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.

Oregon City, OR

Population:37K

Cost Index:

122.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$586K

Des Moines, WA

Population:32K

Cost Index:

108.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$580K

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Oregon City, OR

The Beaver State

37K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Des Moines, WA

The Evergreen State

32K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 32K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Oregon City, OR vs Des Moines, 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	Oregon City, OR	Des Moines, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,125/mo	$2,310/mo	↓ $815less	26.1%
Other	$1,421/mo	$1,237/mo	↓ $184less	13.0%
Transportation	$1,271/mo	$1,432/mo	↑ $161more	12.7%
Healthcare	$505/mo	$635/mo	↑ $129more	25.6%
Groceries	$815/mo	$831/mo	↑ $16.30more	2.0%
All Utilities	$362/mo	$370/mo	↑ $8.04more	2.2%

Housing

↓ 26.1%

Oregon City, OR

$3,125

Des Moines, WA

$2,310

Difference

$815

less

Other

↓ 13.0%

Oregon City, OR

$1,421

Des Moines, WA

$1,237

Difference

$184

less

Transportation

↑ 12.7%

Oregon City, OR

$1,271

Des Moines, WA

$1,432

Difference

$161

Healthcare

↑ 25.6%

Oregon City, OR

$505

Des Moines, WA

$635

Difference

$129

Groceries

↑ 2.0%

Oregon City, OR

$815

Des Moines, WA

$831

Difference

$16.30

All Utilities

↑ 2.2%

Oregon City, OR

$362

Des Moines, WA

$370

Difference

$8.04

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,580

To$1,810

↑ $230

1 Bed

From$1,690

To$1,870

↑ $180

2 Bed

From$1,940

To$2,180

↑ $240

3 Bed

From$2,640

To$2,850

↑ $210

Oregon City, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,690–$1,690/mo

Des Moines, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,870–$1,870/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 Oregon City, OR

$6,815

Monthly in Des Moines, WA

$685

Difference

Home Values

Oregon City

Des Moines

$586K

Median Value

$580K

↓ -0.6%

YoY Change

↓ -1.7%

↑ +24.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +25.5%

Homes in Des Moines are 1% less expensive than Oregon City

Calculate payment - Oregon City Calculate payment - Des Moines

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

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

Des Moines, 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

Oregon City, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Des Moines, 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

Oregon City

Des Moines

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 Oregon City, OR to Des Moines, WA

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Oregon City, OR vs Des Moines, WA

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

Des Moines, WA has a modeled overall cost index 11.2% lower than Oregon City, 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 Oregon City, OR, the model estimates $141,779 in Des Moines, 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 Oregon City, OR and Des Moines, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,940/month in Oregon City, OR and $2,180/month in Des Moines, 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