City comparison
Portland, OR vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 7.3% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $107,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Provo, UT ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,181 in Provo | $107,318 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
92 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Provo, UT | Real change, Portland → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $62,930 | $67,535 (−18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $131,210 | $140,812 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $75,700 | $81,240 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $81,780 | $87,765 (−32.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.