Cost of Living in Portland, ME
Portland, ME scores 116 on the cost-of-living index — about 16% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #17 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Portland vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Portland to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Portland, ME, you would need about $161,207 in New York City, NY — roughly 61.2% more.
| Category | Portland | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 116 | 187 | +61% |
| Housing | 134 | 287 | +114% |
| Groceries | 107 | 137 | +28% |
| Utilities | 109 | 130 | +19% |
| Transportation | 108 | 120 | +11% |
| Healthcare | 105 | 128 | +22% |
Portland cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 116 | +16% |
| Housing | 134 | +34% |
| Groceries | 107 | +7% |
| Utilities | 109 | +9% |
| Transportation | 108 | +8% |
| Healthcare | 105 | +5% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Portland expensive to live in?
Portland, ME has a cost-of-living index of 116, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 16% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #17 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 134.
What is the cost-of-living index for Portland?
The overall index is 116 (US average = 100). By category: housing 134, groceries 107, utilities 109, transportation 108 and healthcare 105. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Portland?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Portland to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Portland cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Portland?
In Portland, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 105), while housing is the priciest (index 134).