Cumberland County · Maine
Portland cost of living (ME)
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Portland-South Portland, ME, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Portland costs 1.9% above the national average — all-items price level 101.9, rank 38 of 94 covered metros. A $100,000 national-average salary needs to be $101,858 here. Utilities is the reason, at 134.6.
- All items
- 101.9US average = 100
- Housing
- 105.25.2% above the national average
- Goods
- 97.22.8% below the national average
- Other services
- 103.23.2% above the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 97.2 | -2.8% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 105.2 | +5.2% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 134.6 | +34.6% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 103.2 | +3.2% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Portland, ME
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (101.9 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $72,777
- Needed to match US average
- $75,506
- Monthly difference
- $115
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
$74,129 median household income in Portland is worth $72,777 in national-average dollars. BEA calls that real income: income × 100 ÷ 101.9.
More Portland data
Other Portland datasets on this site.
- Portland population and income
- Portland sales tax rate
- Portland property tax
- Portland home values and rent
- Portland crime rates
- Portland public schools
- Portland weather normals
- Portland commute times
- Portland jobs and wages
Statewide: Maine cities · Maine ZIP codes · Maine sales tax · Maine counties
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Portland-South Portland, ME. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.