Portland, ME vs New York, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

New York, NY has a modeled overall cost index 54.5% higher than Portland, ME.

Portland, ME · modeled 2BR rent
$2,190 / month
New York, NY · modeled 2BR rent
$3,590 / 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 Portland, ME and New York, NY 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $4,912/month in New York, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $208,944 in New York, NY

Regional cost estimates: Portland, ME uses Boston, MA. New York, NY uses New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 54.5%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$4,912
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$58.9K
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.

Portland, ME

Population:69K
Cost Index:
108.7
100 = national average
Typical Home:$527K

New York, NY

Population:8337K
Cost Index:
168.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$1.05M

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Portland, ME

The Pine Tree State

69K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Maine, this city has a population of 69K residents.

New York, NY

The Empire State

8.3M
Population
State Tax
Yes
Climate
Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

  • •Most populous city in the US
  • •Major global financial center
  • •World-renowned cultural hub

Major Industries

FinanceReal EstateTechnologyMedia

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Portland, ME vs New York, NY

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.

Housing
↑ 120.7%
Portland, ME
$3,131
New York, NY
$6,910
Difference
$3,780
more
Other
↑ 52.7%
Portland, ME
$1,203
New York, NY
$1,838
Difference
$635
more
Transportation
↑ 20.0%
Portland, ME
$1,207
New York, NY
$1,448
Difference
$241
more
Groceries
↑ 26.4%
Portland, ME
$833
New York, NY
$1,053
Difference
$220
more
Healthcare
↑ 8.3%
Portland, ME
$574
New York, NY
$621
Difference
$47.52
more
All Utilities
↓ 1.9%
Portland, ME
$553
New York, NY
$542
Difference
$10.41
less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

New York, NY: NYC Income Tax$5,689/yr (3.8%)

Portland, ME has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$1,510
To$3,120
↑ $1,610
1 Bed
From$1,710
To$3,270
↑ $1,560
2 Bed
From$2,190
To$3,590
↑ $1,400
3 Bed
From$2,660
To$4,500
↑ $1,840
Portland, MEZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,670–$1,780/mo

New York, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,260–$3,990/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 Portland, ME
$12,412
Monthly in New York, NY
$4,912
Difference

Home Values

Portland
New York
$527K
Median Value
$1.05M
↓ -0.5%
YoY Change
↓ -0.1%
↑ +44.9%
5-Year Change
↓ -5.9%
$510K - $642K
Price Range
$471K - $3.49M

Homes in New York are 100% more expensive than Portland

Calculate payment - PortlandCalculate payment - New York

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $746
Per year
Monthly Difference
$62.14
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.5%
Rate difference

Portland, ME

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Maine State Tax
Effective: 6.9%
$10.3K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 31.5%
$47.3K
Take-Home Pay
$8,558/month
$102.7K

New York, NY

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
New York State Tax
Effective: 6.4%
$9.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 31.0%
$46.6K
Take-Home Pay
$8,620/month
$103.4K

Additional Tax Information

Portland, ME Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.5%
Property Tax:1.3%

New York, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%
Property Tax:1.2%

💡 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

Portland
New York
36 Good
Air Quality
43 Good
79.5%
Good Air Days
65.8%
94 Moderate
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌅🌀
Top Hazards
🌊🌀🌡
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
6 days
Heat Days >95°F
11 days
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
6 days
Heat Days >95°F
11 days

Before moving from Portland, ME to New York, NY

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in New York, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Portland, ME. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Portland to New York moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to New York, NY by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Portland, ME vs New York, NY

How do the cost estimates for Portland, ME and New York, NY compare?

New York, NY has a modeled overall cost index 54.5% higher than Portland, ME. 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 Portland, ME, the model estimates $208,944 in New York, NY. 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 Portland, ME and New York, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,190/month in Portland, ME and $3,590/month in New York, NY. 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 Maine and New York on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

Cities cheaper than Portland, ME on a $150.0K salary

1.St. Louis, MO
Save $1,442/mo
2.Indianapolis, IN
Save $1,417/mo
3.Pittsburgh, PA
Save $1,271/mo
4.San Antonio, TX
Save $1,203/mo
5.Columbus, OH
Save $1,160/mo

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