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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Portland, ME costs roughly 7% less than in Oak Harbor, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.47 $30.47

$21.56 $21.56

41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$70.6 $70.6

67.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$18.43 $18.43

-35.70%

Cappuccino

$6.38 $6.38

$6.88 $6.88

-7.27%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.36 $2.36

14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.54 $1.54

49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$8.21 $8.21

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$6.61 $6.61

22.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.12 $1.12

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$4.23 $4.23

-12.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.05 $6.05

30.25%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$5.42 $5.42

-22.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 $16.65

$19.51 $19.51

-14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$12.40 $12.40

-13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$20.57 $20.57

-28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$7.58 $7.58

-54.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.35 $1.35

22.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$8.84 $8.84

-31.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.62 $6.62

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$3.63 $3.63

98.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.16 $5.16

-30.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.50 $2.50

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.19 $2.19

-1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.32 $12.32

$8.68 $8.68

41.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$12.75 $12.75

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.74 $2.74

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.96 $3.96

-24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.95 $1.95

0.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 $59.7

$57.7 $57.7

3.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.40 $3.40

-40.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.66 $1.66

7.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$29.34 $29.34

0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.21 $1.21

-24.79%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$29.2K $29.2K

1.22%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.81%

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

$211 $211

$392 $392

-46.23%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$62.0 $62.0

-10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 $82.0

$82.1 $82.1

-0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 $65.8

$27.84 $27.84

136.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 $12.49

Cinema Ticket

$14.41 $14.41

$14.26 $14.26

1.05%

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

$1,286 $1,286

$1,284 $1,284

0.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K $33.5K

$23.3K $23.3K

43.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$54.1 $54.1

-7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 $74.1

$37.93 $37.93

95.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$117 $117

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$195 $195

-31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 $2,040

$2,284 $2,284

-10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$1,587 $1,587

-8.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,336 $3,336

$2,893 $2,893

15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,564 $2,564

$2,166 $2,166

18.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,187 $4,187

$4,023 $4,023

4.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 $3,967

$4,135 $4,135

-4.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,484 $4,484

$3,298 $3,298

35.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

-4.14%

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

Last update for Portland, ME: May 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,040 in Portland, ME and $2,284 in Oak Harbor, WA. 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: $119 in Portland, ME vs $71.0 in Oak Harbor, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $434 vs $501, 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

Portland, ME vs Oak Harbor, WA: 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.

Portland, ME pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,040 in Portland, ME versus $2,284 in Oak Harbor, WA. 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, Portland, ME and Oak Harbor, WA 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.