Portland, ME vs Waterbury, CT: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

Overall, Waterbury, CT is 2.0% less expensive than Portland, ME (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Portland works out to about $73,500 in Waterbury, before taxes.
Most of the difference is housing, which costs 15.3% less in Waterbury. Goods are 0.2% higher and other services 0.5% lower.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Waterbury, so rents are not compared here.
The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Waterbury was 3.8% more expensive than Portland.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

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Share of your spending that goes on housing: 18% 18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 15.3% lower in Waterbury than in Portland

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

All items

101.9 99.8

Goods

97.2 97.3

Housing (rents)

105.2 89.1

Utilities

134.6 147.6

Other services

103.2 102.7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
All items	101.9	99.8
Goods	97.2	97.3
Housing (rents)	105.2	89.1
Utilities	134.6	147.6
Other services	103.2	102.7

Category	Portland	Waterbury	Waterbury vs Portland
All items	101.9	99.8	−2.0%
Goods	97.2	97.3	+0.2%
Housing (rents)	105.2	89.1	−15.3%
Utilities	134.6	147.6	+9.6%
Other services	103.2	102.7	−0.5%
Salary to match $75,000 in Portland	$75,000	$73,500	−2.0%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Portland and Waterbury has narrowed since 2008: 8.4 points then, 2.1 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
2008	102.5	110.8
2009	103.1	111.0
2010	100.9	105.9
2011	98.6	108.4
2012	101.3	106.9
2013	103.0	107.9
2014	94.5	105.8
2015	99.9	106.1
2016	102.3	106.5
2017	102.2	106.4
2018	101.9	102.1
2019	97.6	101.3
2020	102.6	103.4
2021	101.9	99.6
2022	104.8	102.5
2023	104.4	101.0
2024	101.9	99.8

Goods

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
2008	100.3	113.4
2009	100.7	111.5
2010	98.2	105.8
2011	98.5	106.2
2012	99.2	107.3
2013	98.6	107.0
2014	98.6	105.5
2015	99.6	104.8
2016	99.3	105.6
2017	100.5	106.7
2018	100.9	101.4
2019	99.4	98.7
2020	99.5	99.0
2021	99.2	97.0
2022	101.1	101.1
2023	98.3	98.6
2024	97.2	97.3

Housing (rents)

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
2008	108.3	118.2
2009	111.2	125.1
2010	107.3	108.5
2011	97.3	118.3
2012	113.1	112.9
2013	119.1	117.5
2014	77.2	104.1
2015	97.5	110.7
2016	113.0	107.8
2017	103.7	104.6
2018	110.0	105.7
2019	79.4	97.7
2020	106.2	109.2
2021	107.5	95.1
2022	106.8	91.4
2023	119.4	92.3
2024	105.2	89.1

Utilities

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
2008	137.7	156.0
2009	137.1	159.4
2010	125.9	147.6
2011	125.1	138.8
2012	121.5	136.3
2013	118.0	136.2
2014	120.9	137.1
2015	120.6	141.7
2016	122.1	145.3
2017	125.0	147.1
2018	129.3	141.3
2019	131.7	144.0
2020	135.0	160.3
2021	128.4	146.7
2022	137.2	139.2
2023	146.5	154.3
2024	134.6	147.6

Other services

Portland, ME
Waterbury, CT

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Portland, ME	Waterbury, CT
2008	101.2	105.8
2009	101.2	105.3
2010	100.0	103.6
2011	98.3	105.9
2012	98.7	104.0
2013	100.8	104.6
2014	96.9	105.2
2015	100.2	104.5
2016	100.8	105.3
2017	102.4	105.5
2018	99.6	100.2
2019	101.5	102.3
2020	102.8	102.4
2021	101.4	100.8
2022	106.1	104.9
2023	103.3	103.0
2024	103.2	102.7

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.