City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.8% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $113,800 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Portland, OR ($106,955 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,758 in Portland | $87,906 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, OR | Real change, Corpus Christi → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $66,505 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $80,465 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $96,443 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $114,684 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $135,522 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $82,330 | $72,373 (+20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $156,000 | $137,133 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $92,200 | $81,049 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $130,310 | $114,550 (+38.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.