Overall
Oregon feels cheaper overall
Oregon has the lower cost-of-living index, beating California by 21.4 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
California vs Oregon: Cost of Living
Oregon is cheaper overall by 21.4 cost-of-living points, but Oregon has lower median home values.
California
CA • West
138.5
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
117.1
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
California
138.5
Oregon
117.1
Difference: 21.4 points — Oregon leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
California
#48 · 138.5
Oregon
#42 · 117.1
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#48
California
138.5
California
#42
Oregon
117.1
Oregon
California ranks 48th and Oregon ranks 42nd nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.6x more for a home
Oregon has the lower median home value, while buying in California costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Oregon puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Oregon than in California, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Oregon keeps more income after state tax
Oregon has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
California
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
138.5
Regional price parity
113.4
Regular gas price
$5.929/gal
Electricity price
30.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,856/mo
Median home value
$693,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
13.30%
State sales tax
7.25%
Property tax
0.70%
Income
Median household income
$84,097
Income after median rent
$5,152
Minimum wage
$16.50/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Oregon
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
117.1
Regional price parity
102.6
Regular gas price
$4.988/gal
Electricity price
14.66 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,332/mo
Median home value
$426,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
9.90%
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
0.81%
Income
Median household income
$75,313
Income after median rent
$4,944
Minimum wage
$15.95/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Oregon has lower median home values.
- Oregon has the lower overall cost index.
- California has the higher median household income.
- Oregon looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
California vs Oregon: Cost of Living in context
Oregon has a cost of living of 117.1, compared with 138.5 in California. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
California
138.5
Oregon
117.1
Difference
21.4 points
People Also Ask
California vs Oregon Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is California's cost of living?
California's cost of living is 138.5.
Q What is Oregon's cost of living?
Oregon's cost of living is 117.1.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — California or Oregon?
Oregon is cheaper overall by 21.4 cost-of-living points, but Oregon has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: California vs Oregon
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.