CostIndexUSA

Portland, ME vs Riverside, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableME
Portland
101.9
overall index
$2,200/mo rent
CA
Riverside
106.4
overall index
$2,475/mo rent

Portland is slightly cheaper than Riverside — 4.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Portland, you would need $83,500 in Riverside. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+22.9%
Portland
105.2
Riverside
129.3
🛒 Groceries+4.3%
Portland
97.2
Riverside
101.4
🚗 Transportation1.9%
Portland
108.4
Riverside
106.3
🏥 Healthcare1.8%
Portland
98
Riverside
96.2
Utilities+10.4%
Portland
134.6
Riverside
148.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Riverside, CA
$83,500
$3,500 more needed in Riverside

Formula: salary × (106.4 ÷ 101.9) = salary × 1.0442. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Portland, ME

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

Riverside, CA

Median Home Price
$576,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,475
Housing Index
129.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

Riverside has 22.9% higher housing costs compared to Portland.

Income & Job Market

Portland, ME

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

Riverside, CA

Median Household Income
$87,800
Per Capita Income
$50,000
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
314,998
Top Industries
HealthcareLogisticsManufacturingEducationRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

Portland, ME
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Riverside, CA
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

66% 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.