Moving to Oregon

Your #1 Guide to a Move to Oregon

Has the Beaver State caught your attention? If yes, then you’d come to the right place. Moving to Oregon can be quite an adventure, but it’s one that definitely requires some careful research. Because we know this, we’ve compiled all the relevant information you need to know about a move to Oregon below!

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Costs of Moving to Oregon

Even though we wish this weren’t the case, unfortunately moving can cost a pretty penny. As with any move, your costs of moving to Oregon will be affected mainly by the size of your move and the distance between departure and destination points. To give you an idea of what you can expect in terms of pricing, below you can find a list of estimates for a full-service move to Portland, Oregon from various cities across the United States below.

Departure1-bedroom2-bedrooms3-bedrooms
New York City, NY$4,797 – $6,795$6,795 – $8,762$10,572 – $14,341
Los Angeles, CA$3,413 – $4,743$4,743 – $6,085$7,338 – $9,936
Seattle, WA$2,691 – $3,671$3,671 – $4,689$5,653 – $7,645
Austin, TX$4,156 – $5,843$5,843 – $7,518$9,064 – $12,282
Miami, FL$4,784 – $6,774$6,774 – $8,726$10,513 – $14,244

Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and will vary depending on your actual point of departure and the service rates of the company.

Do keep in mind that the best way to know exactly how much your move will cost you will be by requesting quotes. By filling out the form below, you will be able to receive up to 5 free moving quotes, which will ultimately help you save money on your move to Oregon!

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Moving to Oregon: Checklist

We’re sure all those years of solving puzzles and sudokus have trained your brain well enough to remember even the smallest details, but just in case you need a bit of extra help remembering everything that needs to get done before your big move we’d compile a list of the most important points below:

  • Start decluttering your belongings, remember that the size of your move heavily affects your moving costs;
  • Do your research! Make sure you evaluate in detail every city that catches your attention so you make the most optimal choice;
  • Calculate the size of your move and request moving quotes at least 8 weeks before your move –make sure to carefully compare movers;
  • Gather all important documents (birth certificates, passports, driver’s license, pet documents);
  • Notify others about your move on time (e.g.: postal services, doctors);
  • Cancel/transfer your utilities on time;
  • Start packing and remember to label as you go –trust us on that one, you’ll thank us later!

In case you’re interested in a full list, we recommend that you take a look at our national moving checklist –it has everything you might need!

Moving to Oregon, depiction of a forest during fall

Living in Oregon: How Much Does It Cost?

If you’re curious about whether or not living in Oregon can be a bit pricey, the short answer is that yes, it can be. The living costs in Oregon are 29% higher compared to the country’s average, but this is partially offset by a median household income that is slightly higher than the national average. But, don’t let this discourage you from making the big move to Beaver State!

Keep in mind that your living costs will be largely influenced by the city you choose to live in as well as the lifestyle you carry. In this section, we’ve broken down the most common living costs so you can get a rough idea of what you can expect when moving to Oregon.

Housing in Oregon

Whether you’re interested in renting or purchasing a property, it’s important that you’re aware that housing expenses are a bit steep in Oregon compared to the national average. But of course, this will largely depend on the city you’re interested in as well as the size of the property.

To illustrate this, below you can find some estimates of possible rent and home prices for different properties in different cities in Oregon in the first quarter of 2020.

CityMedian Home ValueAverage Monthly Rent
Portland$417,900$1,522
Eugene$270,200$1,364
Gresham$308,000$1,315
Hillsboro$341,800$1,541
Bend$379,900$1,318

Please keep in mind that the prices reflected above are just estimates. The rent can vary depending on the location and characteristics of the property.

Moving to Oregon, skyline of Portland

Taxes in Oregon

When it comes to taxes, we have great news for you! Oregon is one of the five states with no sales tax. Even though this is great news for all you shopaholics out there, there are other types of taxes that you, unfortunately, cannot escape. Among such you can expect the following:

  • An income tax ranging from 5% to 9.9% depending on your personal income;
  • A property tax of around 1.04%.

For further information about taxes, we recommend that you check out the publishings of Oregon’s Department of Revenue.

Food and Groceries

If you’re a total foodie, it’s very likely that you’re eager to get a taste of all the great bites in the Beaver State. And even though this is something we can definitely get behind, we can also imagine that at one point or another you’d find yourself needing a home-cooked meal. So you can prepare and budget accordingly for these moments, we compiled a list of common grocery store items and their respective prices below.

Grocery ItemAverage Price
1 lb. of chicken filet$5.14
1 lb. of beef round$7.28
A loaf of bread$3
Bottle of wine$14.50
1 lb. of potatoes$1.14
1 lb. of local cheese$6.62
1 head of lettuce$1.93
1 lb. of bananas$0.84

Transportation Costs

When moving to Oregon we believe that you’ll find yourself feeling tempted to go on a road trip around the state to enjoy its beautiful and refreshing nature. If you wish to do this by car, you might be interested in knowing that the average gas price (per gallon) as of June 2020 is $2.77. If you somehow figure out a way to do this via public transport, keep in mind that ticket prices will vary from city to city. Below you can find a summary of public transport prices across different cities in Oregon.

CityFare
Portland (TriMet)
  • 2 and a half hour ride for $2.50
  • Day pass for $5
  • Monthly pass for $100
Eugene (LTD)
  • Day pass for $3.50
  • Monthly pass for $50
  • 3-month pass for $135
Bend (Cascades East Transit)
  • Day pass for $2.50
  • 6-day passes for $12
  • Monthly pass for $30

Moving to Oregon, beach landscape

Leisure

If leisure is important for you, we’d like to reassure you that there are definitely tons of hidden gems in Oregon that will be worth your while. Even though Oregon is largely known as a creative and artsy state you don’t need to worry if this isn’t your thing. There are a large number of other entertainment activities beyond these categories. In the table below you can find a summary of different entertainment activities common in Oregon and their respective prices.

ActivityAverage Price
Ticket to the Enchanted Forest (Amusement Park)$12
All day pass to Wings and Waves Waterpark$29.99
Monthly gym membership$43
Dinner for two at an Italian restaurant$81
Two tickets to the movies$25
Two tickets to the theater$163
Ticket to Portland’s Art Museum$17 – $20
Cappuccino at local café$4.49

Becoming a Resident in Oregon

To become a true Oregonian (yes, this is how they’re called) you will have to:

  • Establish residency for at least 12 months;
  • Surrender your out-of-state driver’s license;
  • Obtain an Oregon driver’s license;
  • Register your vehicle in the state.

For further details regarding vehicle registration and other practical matters, we recommend checking out the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services website.

Moving to Oregon for Work

In terms of GDP growth, Oregon currently ranks as the second state with the fastest growth in the country. So, if the reason why you’re moving to Oregon is because of work, this is great news for you! Even though it’s very likely that you’ll be able to find a job in any industry you might be interested in, the following are current top industries with the highest levels of demand:

  • Management;
  • Architecture and engineering;
  • Healthcare;
  • Computer and mathematics;
  • Life, physical and social sciences;
  • Advanced manufacturing;
  • Food and beverage;
  • Forestry and wood-derived products;
  • Outdoor gear and apparel.

When it comes to job hunting, we recommend that you check out the following platforms:

Moving to Oregon, lake landscape

Did You Know…?

  • Portland has more breweries (60!) than any other city in the world! If 60 breweries aren’t impressive, then I don’t know what is.
  • The deepest lake in the United States can be found in Oregon –it actually lies in the remains of a volcano.
  • Oregon residents own one-fourth of the country’s total llama population.
  • Springfield, Oregon is the real-life inspiration for the Simpson’s hometown.
  • The first female mayor in Oregon actually banned pinball machines. Not sure what were wrong with them, but she definitely wasn’t a fan.

We hope that after reading this article you feel well prepared to embrace the true Oregonian lifestyle! In case you need some extra help, we recommend checking out the articles we’ve linked for you below –they’re full of great tips that will help you during your move. 😉