Oregon vs California: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Oregon or California?
- Overall, California is 7.1% more expensive than Oregon (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Oregon works out to about $80,300 in California, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 42.1% more in California. Goods are 0.8% higher and other services 2.3% higher.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 48.4% higher in California.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $63,028 in California and $55,451 in Oregon (13.7% higher in California; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 95.2 in El Centro, CA to 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (California) and from 97.8 in Grants Pass, OR to 105.4 in Portland, OR (Oregon), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (7.1%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 42.1% higher in California than in Oregon
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.4 | 110.7 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 106.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 108.6 | 154.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 158.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.6 |
| Category | Oregon | California | California vs Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.4 | 110.7 | +7.1% |
| Goods | 105.3 | 106.1 | +0.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 108.6 | 154.3 | +42.1% |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 158.9 | +48.4% |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.6 | +2.3% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $55,451 | $63,028 | +13.7% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $5.56 | $6.03 | +8.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Oregon | $75,000 | $80,300 | +7.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *West Coast region average (EIA has no separate Oregon figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Oregon
- Grants Pass, OR 97.8
- Medford, OR 101.4
- Eugene, OR 101.6
- Albany, OR 102.1
- Bend, OR 103.6
- Salem, OR 103.6
- Corvallis, OR 104.0
- Portland, OR 105.4
California
- El Centro, CA 95.2
- Merced, CA 98.3
- Visalia, CA 99.8
- Redding, CA 100.7
- Bakersfield, CA 100.9
- Chico, CA 101.2
- Hanford, CA 101.6
- Fresno, CA 102.2
- Modesto, CA 104.1
- Yuba City, CA 104.2
- Stockton, CA 105.1
- Riverside, CA 106.4
- Sacramento, CA 106.7
- Santa Rosa, CA 107.8
- Vallejo, CA 108.5
- San Luis Obispo, CA 108.6
- Santa Maria, CA 108.8
- Salinas, CA 109.0
- Santa Cruz, CA 109.9
- San Jose, CA 110.4
- Oxnard, CA 110.5
- San Diego, CA 111.9
- Napa, CA 112.6
- Los Angeles, CA 113.6
- San Francisco, CA 115.6
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Oregon and California has narrowed since 2008: 13.4 points then, 7.4 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.8 | 111.2 |
| 2009 | 100.3 | 110.7 |
| 2010 | 99.4 | 109.7 |
| 2011 | 99.8 | 109.5 |
| 2012 | 101.1 | 109.7 |
| 2013 | 100.2 | 109.7 |
| 2014 | 99.7 | 109.9 |
| 2015 | 101.1 | 110.7 |
| 2016 | 99.6 | 110.0 |
| 2017 | 101.5 | 111.0 |
| 2018 | 104.7 | 111.9 |
| 2019 | 103.8 | 111.1 |
| 2020 | 103.2 | 111.9 |
| 2021 | 103.2 | 111.9 |
| 2022 | 106.6 | 112.6 |
| 2023 | 104.8 | 112.2 |
| 2024 | 103.4 | 110.7 |
Goods
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.3 | 107.4 |
| 2009 | 101.6 | 104.7 |
| 2010 | 99.7 | 103.0 |
| 2011 | 99.8 | 103.6 |
| 2012 | 100.3 | 104.1 |
| 2013 | 98.5 | 104.3 |
| 2014 | 99.0 | 104.3 |
| 2015 | 99.1 | 105.5 |
| 2016 | 100.4 | 104.4 |
| 2017 | 100.2 | 104.5 |
| 2018 | 104.6 | 105.5 |
| 2019 | 104.5 | 106.2 |
| 2020 | 104.6 | 106.7 |
| 2021 | 106.5 | 108.1 |
| 2022 | 109.1 | 108.4 |
| 2023 | 104.8 | 106.8 |
| 2024 | 105.3 | 106.1 |
Housing (rents)
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.5 | 161.4 |
| 2009 | 101.5 | 160.4 |
| 2010 | 101.3 | 158.0 |
| 2011 | 100.4 | 157.1 |
| 2012 | 103.3 | 156.2 |
| 2013 | 101.7 | 155.7 |
| 2014 | 103.0 | 157.9 |
| 2015 | 105.4 | 158.0 |
| 2016 | 106.5 | 160.1 |
| 2017 | 110.2 | 162.5 |
| 2018 | 111.0 | 163.8 |
| 2019 | 110.2 | 164.6 |
| 2020 | 110.0 | 166.3 |
| 2021 | 109.2 | 165.0 |
| 2022 | 110.4 | 160.1 |
| 2023 | 109.2 | 157.8 |
| 2024 | 108.6 | 154.3 |
Utilities
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 84.2 | 111.4 |
| 2009 | 88.0 | 112.8 |
| 2010 | 86.4 | 117.2 |
| 2011 | 92.6 | 115.3 |
| 2012 | 95.0 | 117.1 |
| 2013 | 89.5 | 121.4 |
| 2014 | 95.3 | 128.3 |
| 2015 | 99.4 | 129.3 |
| 2016 | 96.0 | 129.5 |
| 2017 | 94.5 | 130.7 |
| 2018 | 92.5 | 125.1 |
| 2019 | 95.5 | 131.0 |
| 2020 | 95.6 | 133.5 |
| 2021 | 97.0 | 144.2 |
| 2022 | 90.8 | 152.3 |
| 2023 | 91.0 | 147.3 |
| 2024 | 107.0 | 158.9 |
Other services
- Oregon
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.5 | 101.9 |
| 2009 | 99.8 | 102.0 |
| 2010 | 99.5 | 101.7 |
| 2011 | 100.0 | 101.6 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 101.9 |
| 2013 | 101.6 | 101.8 |
| 2014 | 99.4 | 101.9 |
| 2015 | 101.2 | 102.8 |
| 2016 | 97.1 | 101.9 |
| 2017 | 100.0 | 103.3 |
| 2018 | 103.4 | 104.3 |
| 2019 | 101.8 | 102.4 |
| 2020 | 100.4 | 101.9 |
| 2021 | 99.1 | 102.1 |
| 2022 | 104.5 | 103.9 |
| 2023 | 104.2 | 104.4 |
| 2024 | 100.3 | 102.6 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $63,028 in California, $55,451 in Oregon
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Oregon
- California
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Oregon | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $42,296 | $43,788 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $39,625 | $42,377 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $39,990 | $43,503 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $40,584 | $44,844 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $40,984 | $46,162 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $41,181 | $45,826 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $43,053 | $47,472 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $44,964 | $50,054 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $46,550 | $51,802 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $46,985 | $52,569 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $47,109 | $53,523 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $48,660 | $55,931 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $52,577 | $59,993 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $55,852 | $63,373 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $51,501 | $59,126 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $53,455 | $60,100 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $55,451 | $63,028 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Oregon
- Cost of living in California
- Reverse: moving from California to Oregon
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.