Moving from Portland to Seattle
Your paycheck buys slightly more in Seattle than in Portland (+3.5%). Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Seattle: $96,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $96,100 in Seattle, WA to match $100,000 in Portland, OR ($3,900 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Washington has no state income tax on wages; Oregon does; includes Portland resident tax $50 (inside city limits).
Portland vs Seattle: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,767 → $2,050/mo
- Median home value
- $584,800 → $743,000
- Median household income
- $98,994 → $112,388
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 105.4 → 111.1
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (94.6 → 99.0 of 100)
Portland vs Seattle cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Portland, OR | Seattle, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 105.4 | 111.1 |
| Median rent | $1,767 | $2,050 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $70,680 | $82,000 |
| Median home value | $584,800 | $743,000 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $3,598 | $4,568 |
| Income needed to buy | $154,205 | $195,752 |
| Median property tax | $4,889 | $6,294 |
| State income tax on $100,000 | $7,148 | $0 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $50 | None |
| Metro population | 2,537,070 | 4,145,494 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Portland, which narrows the gap shown.
- Portland, OR: Portland residents in Multnomah County pay the Metro Supportive Housing Services tax (1% of Oregon taxable income above $128,000 single / $205,000 joint), the Preschool for All tax (1.5% above $125,000 / $200,000, 3% above $250,000 / $400,000) and the city's Arts Tax ($50 a person, $100 on a joint return, once Oregon taxable income passes $20,000 / $40,000). Living outside Portland avoids the Arts Tax. Preschool for All covers all of Multnomah County (Gresham and the other east-county suburbs too), and the Metro housing tax covers the urban parts of Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, so most suburbs still pay the Metro tax. Both also apply to people who live elsewhere on income earned inside those areas. Living and working in Washington or Clackamas County avoids Preschool for All as well, which is what the suburban estimate assumes. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: Portland vs Seattle
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $61,611 a year in Portland and $59,334 in Seattle if you rent: $2,277 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $83,584 and $89,544 ($5,960 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | PortlandBefore | SeattleAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $28,718 | $22,207 | -$6,511 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,555 | $1,364 | -$191 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,170 | $1,153 | -$17 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,448 | $2,666 | +$218 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,516 | $7,344 | +$828 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $21,204 | $24,600 | +$3,396 |
| Total if you rent | $61,611 | $59,334 | -$2,277 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $37,162 | $47,215 | +$10,053 |
| Property tax median home | $4,889 | $6,294 | +$1,405 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,126 | $1,301 | +$175 |
| Total if you buy | $83,584 | $89,544 | +$5,960 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $19,500 a year in Portland and $21,348 in Seattle (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Portland to Seattle
About 3,294 households (4,725 people) moved from the Portland metro area to the Seattle metro area in 2022–2023, making Seattle the #1 destination for people leaving Portland among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,864 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $101,362.
Cost to move from Portland to Seattle
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 170 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Portland vs Seattle
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Portland area among the highest (score 94.6) and the Seattle area among the highest (score 99), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $477 vs $653 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Seattle cheaper than Portland?
Overall prices in the Seattle area are 5.4% higher than in Portland (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,050 vs $1,767 a month, and the median home is $743,000 vs $584,800.
What salary do I need in Seattle to match $100,000 in Portland?
About $96,100, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Washington has no state income tax on wages; Oregon does.
How much does it cost to move from Portland to Seattle?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 170 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Portland to Seattle?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 3,294 households (4,725 people) moved from the Portland metro area to the Seattle metro area, and 2,864 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Portland move
- Portland to Phoenix 1,874 households
- Portland to Los Angeles 1,738 households
- Portland to Bend 1,619 households
- Portland to Eugene 1,055 households
- Portland to San Francisco 1,022 households
- San Diego 804 households
- Dallas 760 households
- Boise 683 households