City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 2.0% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $102,000 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 25% in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,629 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Portland, OR ($111,338 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- 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
| Phoenix, AZ | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,037 in Portland | $98,003 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,629/yr.
58 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,629/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Portland, OR | Real change, Phoenix → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $66,505 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $80,465 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $96,443 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $114,684 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $135,522 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $82,330 | $80,686 (+36.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $156,000 | $152,885 (+16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $92,200 | $90,359 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $130,310 | $127,708 (+26.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.