Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, ME and Miami, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Portland, ME: $3,262 a month against $3,812 in Miami, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

158

Cost of Living Index in Portland, ME
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Portland, ME Living Index
183

Cost of Living Index in Miami, FL
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Miami, FL Living Index

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Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,262

/mo nomad

Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,812

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portland, ME and in Miami, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Portland, ME and in Miami, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,262 per month in Portland, ME vs $3,812 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Portland, ME $3,262
Miami, FL $3,812

A couple spends around $4,710 per month in Portland, ME vs $5,686 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Portland, ME $4,710
Miami, FL $5,686

A family of three spends $6,158 per month in Portland, ME vs $7,560 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Portland, ME $6,158
Miami, FL $7,560

Portland, ME is about 14% cheaper than Miami, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Portland, ME and Miami, FL sit above the global median – Portland, ME by 140%, Miami, FL by 180%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.87 $24.87

$30.51 $30.51

-18.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$119 $119

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.86 $14.86

$15.11 $15.11

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$5.98 $5.98

2.34%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$3.43 $3.43

-12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.04 $3.04

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.88 $7.88

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$10.15 $10.15

-20.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.34 $1.34

-17.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.56 $4.56

1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$5.82 $5.82

47.08%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$5.15 $5.15

-23.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.17 $18.17

3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 $10.33

$16.75 $16.75

-38.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$24.01 $24.01

-31.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$5.08 $5.08

-8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.20 $2.20

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.21 $4.21

38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$4.30 $4.30

59.07%

Potato (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$3.23 $3.23

96.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.44 $3.44

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.02 $3.02

5.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.23 $2.23

13.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.41 $9.41

28.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.87 $14.87

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.40 $2.40

-21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.08 $3.08

-17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.22 $2.22

-10.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$115 $115

-47.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.90 $2.90

-30.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.01 $2.01

-21.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 $10.80

$24.39 $24.39

-55.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.06 $1.06

-1.89%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$34.7K $34.7K

-20.65%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.14%

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

$224 $224

$184 $184

21.77%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.9 $64.9

7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$72.3 $72.3

5.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 $51.8

$67.3 $67.3

-23.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.22 $39.22

$22.58 $22.58

73.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$19.81 $19.81

-29.53%

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

$1,263 $1,263

$1,769 $1,769

-28.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$51.8 $51.8

1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.2 $81.2

$58.4 $58.4

39.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$134 $134

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$2,820 $2,820

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$2,152 $2,152

-20.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 $3,156

$5,495 $5,495

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,524 $2,524

$3,672 $3,672

-31.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,509 $5,509

$7,317 $7,317

-24.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,978 $3,978

$3,837 $3,837

3.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,598 $4,598

$4,080 $4,080

12.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.63

-1.96%

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

Last update for Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Last update for Miami, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Portland, ME

$1.7K 52.2%

Miami, FL

$2.2K 56.5% 26.4% $449

Groceries & Markets

Portland, ME

$470 14.4%

Miami, FL

$493 12.9% 5% $23

Eating Out

Portland, ME

$395 12.1%

Miami, FL

$447 11.7% 13% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Portland, ME

$370 11.3%

Miami, FL

$321 8.4% 13.2% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Portland, ME

$166 5.1%

Miami, FL

$155 4.1% 6.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Portland, ME

$80 2.4%

Miami, FL

$107 2.8% 34.2% $27

Getting Around

Portland, ME

$78 2.4%

Miami, FL

$137 3.6% 74.3% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,102 in Portland, ME versus $2,820 in Miami, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Portland, ME, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Portland, ME versus $119 in Miami, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $470 in Portland, ME vs $493 in Miami, FL – so Portland, ME wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Portland, ME

🇺🇸 Miami, FL

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

Same time as Portland, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

652,503

404,048

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Portland, ME Miami, FL 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Portland, ME
Miami, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Portland, ME vs Miami, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Miami, FL is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,893 per month in Portland, ME and $5,718 in Miami, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portland, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,820 in Miami, FL.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Portland, ME. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Miami, FL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,262 in Portland, ME and $3,812 in Miami, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Portland, ME – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.