Cost of Living in Portland, ME
Housing is the most significant expense for most American households. The cost of living in a certain city takes into account both the price of rent and the price of a home. The average monthly rent in Portland is $1,991, while home prices circle around $611,028.
Both owning and renting come with utility expenses. These costs include basic services such as energy and telecommunications. In Portland, energy bills cost around $289.55 per month.
Food is the most important necessity and its cost varies around the country. This section includes the prices of everyday foods such as produce, meat and dairy. A bottle of milk costs about $4.85 in Portland, a dozen eggs go for around $5.04 and a pound of potatoes circles around $5.08.
The benchmark for this category is based on the prices of family doctor visits and specialized services such as optometry. In Portland, an optometry check-up costs around $198.86, while a dentist appointment is priced $134.93 on average.
Transportation expenses depend on multiple factors, with fuel being the most important. A gallon of gas is priced around $3.06 in Portland, while getting your tires balanced will run you about $72.00.
The cost of clothing tells you how much more or less money you need to buy basic items such as jeans, shirts or slacks in a new city. A men's shirt costs around $40.62 here. Meanwhile, a pair of women's slacks will set you back around $36.36.
The cost of entertainment and everyday services is based on common expenses in each category. For a movie ticket in Portland, you should budget around $14.18 a month. When it comes to personal services, a haircut usually goes for $29.75, while dry cleaning costs about $20.05.
The cost of living also takes median household income into account, so you can estimate how much more or less you could be earning in a new city by comparing it to the income in your current area. In Portland, the median household income is $79,540.