Cost of Living Comparison Between Oak Harbor, WA and Portland, ME Cost of Living Comparison Between Oak Harbor, WA and Portland, ME

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,297 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $3,078 in Portland, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,434 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $4,565 in Portland, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,571 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $6,052 in Portland, ME.

Living in Oak Harbor, WA is roughly 7% more expensive than Portland, ME, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oak Harbor, WA 146% above, Portland, ME 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.56 $21.56

$30.47 $30.47

-29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 $70.6

$119 $119

-40.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.43 $18.43

$11.85 $11.85

55.53%

Cappuccino

$6.88 $6.88

$6.38 $6.38

7.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.70 $2.70

-12.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.30 $2.30

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.18 $6.18

32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 $6.61

$8.11 $8.11

-18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.98 $0.98

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.71 $3.71

14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$7.88 $7.88

-23.22%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$4.21 $4.21

28.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 $19.51

$16.65 $16.65

17.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$10.76 $10.76

15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.57 $20.57

$14.66 $14.66

40.31%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$3.48 $3.48

117.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.66 $1.66

-18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.03 $6.03

46.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$6.05 $6.05

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$7.22 $7.22

-49.72%

Onion (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.60 $3.60

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.48 $2.48

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.15 $2.15

1.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 $8.68

$12.32 $12.32

-29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$14.95 $14.95

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.87 $1.87

46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.98 $2.98

32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.96 $1.96

-0.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$59.7 $59.7

-3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.03 $2.03

67.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.79 $1.79

-7.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.34 $29.34

$29.51 $29.51

-0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.91 $0.91

32.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.2K $29.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

-1.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

1.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$392 $392

$211 $211

85.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$55.7 $55.7

11.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.1 $82.1

$82.0 $82.0

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.84 $27.84

$65.8 $65.8

-57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 $12.49

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.41 $14.41

-1.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,286 $1,286

-0.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$33.5K $33.5K

-30.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.2 $50.2

7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 $37.93

$74.1 $74.1

-48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$122 $122

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 $195

$133 $133

46.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 $2,284

$2,040 $2,040

12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,453 $1,453

9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 $2,893

$3,336 $3,336

-13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 $2,166

$2,564 $2,564

-15.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,023 $4,023

$4,187 $4,187

-3.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,135 $4,135

$3,967 $3,967

4.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,298 $3,298

$4,484 $4,484

-26.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

4.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oak Harbor, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Portland, ME: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,284 in Oak Harbor, WA and $2,040 in Portland, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portland, ME pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Oak Harbor, WA vs $119 in Portland, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $501 vs $434, with Portland, ME cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Oak Harbor, WA vs Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portland, ME wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Oak Harbor, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Portland, ME the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Portland, ME earns 36% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,284 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $2,040 in Portland, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Oak Harbor, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Portland, ME – a meal for two runs $119 versus $71.0 in Oak Harbor, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Portland, ME is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Portland, ME delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,078 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Portland, ME hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Oak Harbor, WA and Portland, ME are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Portland, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Oak Harbor, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.