Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Santa Clarita, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Portland, OR: $3,305 a month against $3,871 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Santa Clarita, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

160

Cost of Living Index in Portland, OR
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Portland, OR Living Index
186

Cost of Living Index in Santa Clarita, CA
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Santa Clarita, CA Living Index

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Portland, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$3,305

/mo nomad

Santa Clarita, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,871

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portland, OR and in Santa Clarita, CA

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

A single person spends $3,305 per month in Portland, OR vs $3,871 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Portland, OR $3,305
Santa Clarita, CA $3,871

A couple spends around $4,993 per month in Portland, OR vs $5,130 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Portland, OR $4,993
Santa Clarita, CA $5,130

A family of three spends $6,680 per month in Portland, OR vs $6,390 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Portland, OR $6,680
Santa Clarita, CA $6,390

Portland, OR is about 15% cheaper than Santa Clarita, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Portland, OR and Santa Clarita, CA sit above the global median – Portland, OR by 144%, Santa Clarita, CA by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.60 $24.60

$19.80 $19.80

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 $89.5

$101 $101

-11.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$14.83 $14.83

-13.49%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$6.02 $6.02

-0.17%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.60 $3.60

-32.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.93 $2.93

-33.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$7.76 $7.76

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.76 $8.76

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.13 $1.13

2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.04 $4.04

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.03 $5.03

-3.18%

Eggs

$5.38 $5.38

$4.75 $4.75

13.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$19.37 $19.37

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$7.79 $7.79

145.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.65 $28.65

$17.12 $17.12

67.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$6.56 $6.56

3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.02 $2.02

0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.93 $2.93

102.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$3.08 $3.08

190.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$8.86 $8.86

-68.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$4.79 $4.79

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.40 $3.40

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.74 $2.74

-5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 $11.29

$11.69 $11.69

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$16.14 $16.14

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.69 $1.69

104.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.41 $4.41

16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.56 $2.56

11.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 $99.6

$26.71 $26.71

272.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.82 $2.82

74.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.42 $2.42

-20.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.74 $23.74

$59.6 $59.6

-60.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.34 $1.34

-5.97%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$23.1K $23.1K

45.22%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.78%

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

$312 $312

$222 $222

40.64%

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

$63.0 $63.0

$55.3 $55.3

13.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$71.9 $71.9

-3.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 $63.1

$36.41 $36.41

73.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.17 $30.17

$25.24 $25.24

19.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.93 $13.93

5.60%

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

$1,731 $1,731

$1,424 $1,424

21.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$37.5K $37.5K

-34.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$74.6 $74.6

-13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.37 $42.37

$27.45 $27.45

54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$71.4 $71.4

60.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$109 $109

20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$2,831 $2,831

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$2,478 $2,478

-38.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,489 $3,489

$3,798 $3,798

-8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 $2,813

$3,209 $3,209

-12.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,837 $3,837

$3,698 $3,698

3.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,407 $3,407

$4,330 $4,330

-21.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,690 $4,690

$5,387 $5,387

-12.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.49

1.23%

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

Last update for Portland, OR: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santa Clarita, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Portland, OR

$1.5K 46.4%

Santa Clarita, CA

$2.5K 64% 61.5% $943

Groceries & Markets

Portland, OR

$568 17.2%

Santa Clarita, CA

$444 11.5% 21.9% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Portland, OR

$444 13.4%

Santa Clarita, CA

$349 9% 21.4% $95

Eating Out

Portland, OR

$382 11.5%

Santa Clarita, CA

$358 9.2% 6.3% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Portland, OR

$159 4.8%

Santa Clarita, CA

$127 3.3% 20.2% $32

Getting Around

Portland, OR

$126 3.8%

Santa Clarita, CA

$52 1.3% 58.7% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Portland, OR

$92 2.8%

Santa Clarita, CA

$64 1.7% 30.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in Portland, OR versus $2,831 in Santa Clarita, CA. 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 15% higher in Santa Clarita, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Portland, OR versus $101 in Santa Clarita, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $568 in Portland, OR vs $444 in Santa Clarita, CA – so Santa Clarita, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Portland, OR

🇺🇸 Santa Clarita, CA

🕒 Local time

22:21 10:21 PM

Same time as Portland, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

652,503

182,371

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Portland, OR Santa Clarita, CA 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Portland, OR
Santa Clarita, CA

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Portland, OR vs Santa Clarita, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Clarita, CA costs about 17% more than Portland, OR, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,958 per month in Portland, OR and $5,807 in Santa Clarita, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portland, OR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,305 in Portland, OR and $3,871 in Santa Clarita, CA. That's a gap of about 17%.

Public transport costs about 273% less in Portland, OR. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,305 in Portland, OR and $3,871 in Santa Clarita, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Santa Clarita, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,305 in Portland, OR to $3,871 in Santa Clarita, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Portland, OR. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Clarita, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.