City comparison
Portland, OR vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 5.4% higher than in Portland, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, OR would need about $105,400 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,677 in Portland, OR. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 28% in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA ($114,684 → $119,630), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,418 in Seattle | $94,860 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
41 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Portland, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Seattle, WA | Real change, Portland → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $69,373 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $83,935 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $100,602 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $119,630 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $141,367 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $102,920 | $97,630 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $167,280 | $158,682 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $99,370 | $94,263 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $128,260 | $121,668 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.