Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Plano, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Plano, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,266 in Portland, OR versus $2,641 in Plano, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,864 in Portland, OR versus $4,148 in Plano, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,462 in Portland, OR versus $5,655 in Plano, TX.

Living in Portland, OR is roughly 24% more expensive than in Plano, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portland, OR 139% above, Plano, TX 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.32 $20.32

22.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 $91.7

$76.2 $76.2

20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 $13.93

$10.70 $10.70

30.19%

Cappuccino

$6.29 $6.29

$5.41 $5.41

16.27%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$2.64 $2.64

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.32 $2.32

-13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.95 $6.95

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.57 $7.57

6.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.02 $1.02

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.29 $3.29

52.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.13 $4.13

20.34%

Eggs

$5.45 $5.45

$4.80 $4.80

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$13.27 $13.27

41.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.98 $17.98

$11.07 $11.07

62.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 $27.15

$18.32 $18.32

48.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$5.89 $5.89

10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.55 $1.55

29.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.85 $4.85

22.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.53 $8.53

$4.04 $4.04

111.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.69 $2.69

2.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.90 $2.90

-18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.93 $1.93

76.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.80 $2.80

-6.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 $11.25

$9.73 $9.73

15.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$16.21 $16.21

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.69 $1.69

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.88 $3.88

31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 $2.75

$4.58 $4.58

-39.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 $99.5

$104 $104

-4.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.04 $3.04

69.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.72 $1.72

7.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 $24.28

$24.17 $24.17

0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.90 $0.90

34.44%

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

$34.1K $34.1K

$36.4K $36.4K

-6.41%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.74%

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

$295 $295

$202 $202

46.38%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$46.80 $46.80

27.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$54.9 $54.9

24.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 $56.8

$93.1 $93.1

-38.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.09 $31.09

$3.93 $3.93

691.09%

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 $14.54

$14.85 $14.85

-2.09%

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

$1,703 $1,703

$1,324 $1,324

28.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$18.3K $18.3K

32.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$58.5 $58.5

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.24 $41.24

$37.65 $37.65

9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$85.8 $85.8

30.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$120 $120

11.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 $2,029

$1,517 $1,517

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$1,212 $1,212

29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 $3,423

$2,723 $2,723

25.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,785 $2,785

$2,393 $2,393

16.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,972 $3,972

$2,360 $2,360

68.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 $3,388

$2,420 $2,420

39.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,648 $4,648

$5,593 $5,593

-16.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.28

-1.43%

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

Last update for Portland, OR: September 13, 2026

Last update for Plano, TX: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,029 in Portland, OR and $1,517 in Plano, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Portland, OR vs $76.0 in Plano, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $558 vs $411 per month, with Plano, TX cheaper across the board.

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, OR vs Plano, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plano, TX is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Plano, TX. 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: $2,029 in Portland, OR versus $1,517 in Plano, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,703 in Portland, OR versus $1,324 in Plano, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Portland, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Plano, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Plano, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Portland, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.