Washington vs Oregon: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Washington or Oregon?
- Overall, Oregon is 3.4% less expensive than Washington (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Washington works out to about $72,400 in Oregon, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 13.8% less in Oregon. Goods are 0.9% higher and other services 3.4% lower.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 15.3% higher in Oregon.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $55,451 in Oregon and $64,421 in Washington (13.9% lower in Oregon; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 97.8 in Grants Pass, OR to 105.4 in Portland, OR (Oregon) and from 95.5 in Yakima, WA to 111.1 in Seattle, WA (Washington), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (3.9%).
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: 13.8% lower in Oregon than in Washington
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.0 | 103.4 |
| Goods | 104.4 | 105.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 126.0 | 108.6 |
| Utilities | 92.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.9 | 100.3 |
| Category | Washington | Oregon | Oregon vs Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.0 | 103.4 | −3.4% |
| Goods | 104.4 | 105.3 | +0.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 126.0 | 108.6 | −13.8% |
| Utilities | 92.9 | 107.0 | +15.3% |
| Other services | 103.9 | 100.3 | −3.4% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $64,421 | $55,451 | −13.9% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $5.33 | $5.56 | +4.2% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Washington | $75,000 | $72,400 | −3.4% |
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
Washington
- Lewiston, ID 91.2
- Yakima, WA 95.5
- Longview, WA 97.5
- Walla Walla, WA 98.5
- Kennewick, WA 100.1
- Spokane, WA 100.3
- Mount Vernon, WA 102.4
- Bellingham, WA 103.3
- Olympia, WA 103.7
- Wenatchee, WA 103.9
- Portland, OR 105.4
- Bremerton, WA 105.6
- Seattle, WA 111.1
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
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Washington and Oregon has narrowed since 2008: 6.7 points then, 3.7 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.5 | 97.8 |
| 2009 | 104.6 | 100.3 |
| 2010 | 102.7 | 99.4 |
| 2011 | 103.2 | 99.8 |
| 2012 | 102.5 | 101.1 |
| 2013 | 102.5 | 100.2 |
| 2014 | 103.9 | 99.7 |
| 2015 | 104.4 | 101.1 |
| 2016 | 105.6 | 99.6 |
| 2017 | 107.0 | 101.5 |
| 2018 | 107.1 | 104.7 |
| 2019 | 108.0 | 103.8 |
| 2020 | 107.9 | 103.2 |
| 2021 | 108.8 | 103.2 |
| 2022 | 110.0 | 106.6 |
| 2023 | 108.4 | 104.8 |
| 2024 | 107.0 | 103.4 |
Goods
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.4 | 95.3 |
| 2009 | 104.8 | 101.6 |
| 2010 | 103.1 | 99.7 |
| 2011 | 103.7 | 99.8 |
| 2012 | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 98.5 |
| 2014 | 102.2 | 99.0 |
| 2015 | 103.6 | 99.1 |
| 2016 | 102.7 | 100.4 |
| 2017 | 105.9 | 100.2 |
| 2018 | 105.0 | 104.6 |
| 2019 | 106.4 | 104.5 |
| 2020 | 108.9 | 104.6 |
| 2021 | 112.0 | 106.5 |
| 2022 | 113.5 | 109.1 |
| 2023 | 106.9 | 104.8 |
| 2024 | 104.4 | 105.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 117.4 | 98.5 |
| 2009 | 116.8 | 101.5 |
| 2010 | 114.3 | 101.3 |
| 2011 | 116.3 | 100.4 |
| 2012 | 113.9 | 103.3 |
| 2013 | 115.0 | 101.7 |
| 2014 | 117.9 | 103.0 |
| 2015 | 119.6 | 105.4 |
| 2016 | 123.1 | 106.5 |
| 2017 | 125.5 | 110.2 |
| 2018 | 128.1 | 111.0 |
| 2019 | 129.5 | 110.2 |
| 2020 | 126.1 | 110.0 |
| 2021 | 125.6 | 109.2 |
| 2022 | 127.6 | 110.4 |
| 2023 | 125.5 | 109.2 |
| 2024 | 126.0 | 108.6 |
Utilities
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 79.7 | 84.2 |
| 2009 | 81.9 | 88.0 |
| 2010 | 84.6 | 86.4 |
| 2011 | 87.3 | 92.6 |
| 2012 | 89.9 | 95.0 |
| 2013 | 92.1 | 89.5 |
| 2014 | 90.4 | 95.3 |
| 2015 | 95.3 | 99.4 |
| 2016 | 93.6 | 96.0 |
| 2017 | 92.7 | 94.5 |
| 2018 | 94.5 | 92.5 |
| 2019 | 97.2 | 95.5 |
| 2020 | 97.2 | 95.6 |
| 2021 | 92.2 | 97.0 |
| 2022 | 85.7 | 90.8 |
| 2023 | 84.0 | 91.0 |
| 2024 | 92.9 | 107.0 |
Other services
- Washington
- Oregon
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 102.4 | 100.5 |
| 2009 | 102.4 | 99.8 |
| 2010 | 100.2 | 99.5 |
| 2011 | 100.2 | 100.0 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 101.4 |
| 2013 | 100.5 | 101.6 |
| 2014 | 101.8 | 99.4 |
| 2015 | 101.3 | 101.2 |
| 2016 | 103.1 | 97.1 |
| 2017 | 103.5 | 100.0 |
| 2018 | 103.4 | 103.4 |
| 2019 | 103.6 | 101.8 |
| 2020 | 102.1 | 100.4 |
| 2021 | 103.0 | 99.1 |
| 2022 | 104.5 | 104.5 |
| 2023 | 105.6 | 104.2 |
| 2024 | 103.9 | 100.3 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $55,451 in Oregon, $64,421 in Washington
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Washington
- Oregon
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Washington | Oregon | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $47,369 | $42,296 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $44,854 | $39,625 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $45,578 | $39,990 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $46,278 | $40,584 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $48,605 | $40,984 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $48,400 | $41,181 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $49,860 | $43,053 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $51,679 | $44,964 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $52,446 | $46,550 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $53,192 | $46,985 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $54,837 | $47,109 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $56,862 | $48,660 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $60,102 | $52,577 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $62,496 | $55,852 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $59,601 | $51,501 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $62,138 | $53,455 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $64,421 | $55,451 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Washington
- Cost of living in Oregon
- Reverse: moving from Oregon to Washington
- 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.