Throughout years, moving to Portland, Oregon has made its way up the bucket list of many Americans. If you’re among those who plan on making the City of Roses their forever home, then look no further. Because our goal is to make your life easier, we’ve developed a handy Portland relocation guide. Read on to begin your moving adventure! 😉
First things first, before hopping on a plane to start a new life in Portland, it’s important that you’re first well informed on how much such a move will cost you. Generally, the costs of moving to Portland, Oregon will vary depending on the size of your move and where you’re moving from.
Unless you’ve been around the block a few times we can imagine that all of this might sound a bit vague. So, to illustrate it better for you, we put together a list of estimates for a full-service move to Portland from different cities across the United States below.
| Departure | 1-bedroom | 2-bedroom | 3-bedroom |
| Austin, TX | $4,156 – $5,843 | $5,843 – $7,518 | $9,064 – $12,282 |
| New York City, NY | $4,797 – $6,795 | $6,795 – $8,762 | $10,572 – $14,341 |
| San Diego, CA | $3,515 – $4,894 | $4,894 – $6,282 | $7,576 – $10,260 |
| Chicago, IL | $4,178 – $5,875 | $5,875 – $7,561 | $9,118 – $12,357 |
| Seattle, WA | $2,691 – $3,671 | $3,671 – $4,689 | $5,653 – $7,645 |
Disclaimer: the rates shown above are just estimates. Costs will vary depending on your actual point of departure and the service rates of the company.
Tip!: Want to make sure that you have accurate estimates for your move to Portland? The best way to achieve this is by requesting moving quotes!
One of the many challenges that come along with moving is keeping track of everything that must get done before, during, and after the big move. If you’re gifted with a great memory, this will be no problem for you. But just in case you might need an extra hand remembering a few things, we recommend that you take note of the following points highlighted in the infographic below!
Tip!: Interested in a handy comprehensive checklist to use throughout your entire relocation to Portland Oregon? We got your back! Our national moving checklist is here to assist you. 😉
Becoming a real Oregonian (what a nickname) and therefore, a Portlander, is luckily quite simple. All you need to do is:
Tip!: Curious about what are the requirements to register your vehicle? Check out the following information provided by the government of the state of Oregon.
Moving to Portland, Oregon with a job already secured is, of course, the most ideal situation. But, in case you haven’t gotten around to exploring the city’s job market yet, you might be pleased to know that Portland will enjoy a predicted job growth of approximately 8.8% (compared to a national average of 4.7%) in the upcoming three years —great news!.
Even though you’ll be able to find a job in just about any industry, the following are current top industries with the highest levels of demand in Portland:
Your annual income will, of course, depend on the career path you pursue. However, you can expect an average yearly salary of around $68,000 (according to Payscale). When scouting for a job, we recommend that you check out the following job-seeking platforms:
Last but not least, before we send you off on your new adventure in Portland, it’s important that we cover the living costs in the City of Roses so you can prepare accordingly. To make a long story short, living in Portland can be a bit pricey –especially when it comes to housing.
To give you an idea, compared to the national average of 100, Portland currently scores 130.8 on the cost of living index. You might be wondering what these number even means, so to help you out we’ve broken down the costs of living into the most common categories in the sections below.
As we mentioned prior, housing in Portland isn’t necessary as cheap as chips. To give you an idea, the median home cost in Portland is around $188,000 higher than national average of $231,200. Don’t be discouraged, though. This will largely depend on the neighborhood you’re interested in as well as the size of the property.
Curious about which are the most popular neighborhoods in Portland? Here’s a short list for ya’:
Finally, To give you a rough idea of what you can expect in terms of prices, the table below summarizes both the average rent and median home values for different neighborhoods across the city.
| Neighborhood | Median Home Value | Average Rent |
| Humboldt | $523,500 | $1,900 |
| Hillside | $850,600 | $2,095 |
| King | $486,900 | $1,950 |
| Eliot | $528,200 | $1,912 |
| Arbor Lodge | $446,000 | $1,795 |
Disclaimer: The prices shown above are just estimates. These prices will vary depending on the property size and the neighborhood of your choice.
Perhaps one of the most exciting parts about moving to Portland, Oregon will be being able to indulge in the city’s cuisine —at least if you’re a big food lover like us. You can do this by, of course, treating yourself to a nice meal out or by incorporating local products into your homemade meals. Regardless of what you choose to go for, it’s always good a rough idea of the average cost of food and groceries in the city will help you budget accordingly.
| Food & Groceries | Average Cost |
| Loaf of fresh bread | $2.98 |
| 1 lb. of potatoes | $1.12 |
| 1 lb. of bananas | $0.73 |
| Gallon of milk | $3.26 |
| 1 lb. of chicken filet | $5.08 |
| 1 lb. of beef round | $7.32 |
| Carton of 12 eggs | $2.87 |
| 1 lb. of local cheese | $6.34 |
| Bottle of wine | $14.50 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $60 |
| Lunch menu | $15 |
Fun fact: Did you know Oregon produces 95% of the hazelnuts sold across the country?
If you’re not taking your vehicle with you in your move to Portland, don’t worry, the City of Roses is well equipped with a public transportation system (TriMet) that will get you from A to B in no time. So you know what to expect, below you can find a summary of public transport prices (applicable to both for metro and bus lines) in Portland:
Touching upon taxes is never fun –we know it’s not particularly everyone’s favorite topic. But, luckily, there’s a silver lining –you won’t have to pay sales tax in Portland, Oregon! Even though this is great news for the shopaholics among us, there are other types of taxes that you, unfortunately, cannot escape. Among such you can expect the following:
Tip!: Need extra information regarding taxes in Portland? Check out the information provided by the city’s Revenue Division.
When moving to Portland, Oregon you’ll be quick to find out that the city definitely manages to keep Portlanders on their toes. From trying out tasty treats (giving glazed donuts a try is a must!) to dwelling in the city’s well-known hipster culture, the city is filled with heaps of things to do.
Because we want you to help you picture your new life in Portland as well as possible, we put together a list of cool things you can do in the city and their respective costs.
| Activity | Average Cost |
| Ticket to Portland’s Art Museum | $17 – $20 |
| Ticket to Portland’s Japanese Garden | $16.95 |
| Monthly gym membership | $46 |
| Two movie tickets | $24 |
| Two theater tickets | $181 |
| One-hour rent of a tennis court | $19.75 |
| Ticket to Oregon’s Museum of Science and Industry | $9 – $20 |
Are you an outdoors lover? If yes, these are some beautiful parks you most definitely give a shot:
We hope that you feel fully prepared to embark on your new adventure in the City of Roses! In case you feel like there are still a few things you might need to know about before moving to Portland, Oregon, we recommend that you check out the articles linked below. Good luck with your move! ☘
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