Portland, OR vs Sacramento, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Sacramento, CA has a modeled overall cost index 10.0% lower than Portland, OR.

Portland, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,900 / month
Sacramento, CA · 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 Portland, OR and Sacramento, CA 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 Portland, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,034/month in Sacramento, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,589 in Sacramento, CA

Regional cost estimates: Portland, OR uses Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Area. Sacramento, CA uses Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 10.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,034

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.4K

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, OR

Population:641K

Cost Index:

130.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$535K

Sacramento, CA

Population:525K

Cost Index:

117.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$460K

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Portland, OR

The Beaver State

641K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Oceanic

Notable Facts

•Craft beer capital
•Foodie destination
•Keep Portland Weird

Major Industries

TechnologyManufacturingFood & BeverageTourism

Sacramento, CA

The Golden State

525K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 525K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Portland, OR vs Sacramento, CA

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	Portland, OR	Sacramento, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,341/mo	$2,603/mo	↓ $738less	22.1%
Transportation	$1,223/mo	$1,009/mo	↓ $213less	17.5%
Other	$1,368/mo	$1,284/mo	↓ $83.24less	6.1%
All Utilities	$338/mo	$377/mo	↑ $38.82more	11.5%
Healthcare	$471/mo	$440/mo	↓ $30.81less	6.5%
Groceries	$760/mo	$752/mo	↓ $7.10less	0.9%

Housing

↓ 22.1%

Portland, OR

$3,341

Sacramento, CA

$2,603

Difference

$738

less

Transportation

↓ 17.5%

Portland, OR

$1,223

Sacramento, CA

$1,009

Difference

$213

less

Other

↓ 6.1%

Portland, OR

$1,368

Sacramento, CA

$1,284

Difference

$83.24

less

All Utilities

↑ 11.5%

Portland, OR

$338

Sacramento, CA

$377

Difference

$38.82

Healthcare

↓ 6.5%

Portland, OR

$471

Sacramento, CA

$440

Difference

$30.81

less

Groceries

↓ 0.9%

Portland, OR

$760

Sacramento, CA

$752

Difference

$7.10

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Portland, OR: Multnomah County Preschool for All$1,500/yr (1.0%)

Sacramento, CA 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$1,555

To$1,690

↑ $135

1 Bed

From$1,655

To$1,770

↑ $115

2 Bed

From$1,900

To$2,180

↑ $280

3 Bed

From$2,590

To$2,900

↑ $310

Portland, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,580–$2,030/mo

Sacramento, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,320–$2,310/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, OR

$6,466

Monthly in Sacramento, CA

$1,034

Difference

Home Values

Portland

Sacramento

$535K

Median Value

$460K

↓ -1.2%

YoY Change

↓ -2.7%

↑ +7.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +18.2%

$351K - $760K

Price Range

$352K - $969K

Homes in Sacramento are 14% less expensive than Portland

Calculate payment - Portland Calculate payment - Sacramento

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.9K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$407

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.3%

Rate difference

Portland, 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

Sacramento, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Portland, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Sacramento, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Portland, OR

39/100

27.7% sidewalk tags · 10.5% cycling tags

Sacramento, CA: No data yet

Environment

Portland

Sacramento

35 Good

Air Quality

51 Moderate

85%

Good Air Days

49.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊☀🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

Before moving from Portland, OR to Sacramento, CA

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Portland, OR vs Sacramento, CA

How do the cost estimates for Portland, OR and Sacramento, CA compare?

Sacramento, CA has a modeled overall cost index 10.0% lower than Portland, 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 Portland, OR, the model estimates $137,589 in Sacramento, CA. 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, OR and Sacramento, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,900/month in Portland, OR and $2,180/month in Sacramento, CA. 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 California on TaxTakeHome.com