

Iowa City vs Portland
$213/mo less in Portland
Iowa CityPortlandAbout 1,560 miles apart, a flight.
- Portland costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,305/mo in Portland. $2,518/mo in Iowa City. −$2,556 a year.
Iowa City
$2,518
left each month
Portland
$2,305
−$213 vs Iowa City
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 25 households moved Iowa City → Portland (avg AGI $71,320). The whole move →
−$213 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Iowa City | Portland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,542 | $8,167 | +$1,626 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,443 | $2,392 | +$949 |
| Take-home pay | $5,099 | $5,775 | +$676 |
| Rent | $911 | $1,416 | +$505 |
| Getting around | $411 | $517 | +$106 |
| Groceries | $347 | $424 | +$77 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $477 | +$86 |
| Utilities | $217 | $265 | +$48 |
| Everything else | $304 | $371 | +$67 |
| Left over | $2,518 | $2,305 | −$213 |
Salary to match Iowa City
$102,000
Gross pay in Portland that leaves the same amount as $78,500 in Iowa City.
Tax difference
−$5,606
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 22.1% in Iowa City, 29.3% in Portland.
More about Portland
Iowa City, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,085 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 20 minutes.
Portland, OR in full
No sales tax, high income tax, and nine months of grey.
The other way
Start in Portland.
Portland → Iowa City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Portland than Iowa City?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Portland leaves about $213 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $911 in Iowa City and $1,416 in Portland.
Does Portland have state income tax?
Portland is in Oregon, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Iowa City to Portland?
The paycheck is taxed in Oregon. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Iowa City and Portland changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.