CostIndexUSA

Charlottesville, VA vs Portland, ME Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableVA
Charlottesville
99.1
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
ME
Portland
101.9
overall index
$2,200/mo rent

Charlottesville is slightly cheaper than Portland — 2.8% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charlottesville, you would need $82,300 in Portland. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing1.7%
Charlottesville
107
Portland
105.2
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Charlottesville
96.8
Portland
97.2
🚗 Transportation+4.7%
Charlottesville
103.5
Portland
108.4
🏥 Healthcare+4.6%
Charlottesville
93.7
Portland
98
Utilities+51.2%
Charlottesville
89
Portland
134.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charlottesville to see what you'd need to earn in Portland to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Portland, ME
$82,300
$2,300 more needed in Portland

Formula: salary × (101.9 ÷ 99.1) = salary × 1.0283. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charlottesville, VA

Median Home Price
$455,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
107
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

Portland, ME

Median Home Price
$516,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,200
Housing Index
105.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.5×

Charlottesville has 1.7% lower housing costs compared to Portland.

Income & Job Market

Charlottesville, VA

Median Household Income
$92,300
Per Capita Income
$52,600
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Population
46,553
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentTourism

Portland, ME

Median Household Income
$92,100
Per Capita Income
$52,500
Unemployment Rate
2.4%
Population
68,408
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationTourismFinanceTechnology

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Charlottesville, VA
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Portland, ME
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.