CostTrek

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Milan vs Portland

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Milan, IT vs Portland, OR at a glance — Portland, OR is 4% cheaper than Milan, IT overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,600/mo versus $1,500/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 43%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Portland, OR, you'd need

$72,153 / year

Portland, OR is 4% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Portland, OR vs Milan, IT)

  • Housing-6%
  • Food & groceries-8%
  • Transport+24%
  • Utilities-30%
  • Healthcare+23%
  • Goods & services-5%

◎ How Milan, IT and Portland, OR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Milan, ITPortland, OR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Milan, ITPortland, OR
Cost of living
Overall cost index111107
Housing135127
Food10597
Transport8099
Utilities12084
Healthcare82101
Goods & services106101
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,500/mo$1,600/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,150/mo$1,300/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$3,000/mo$3,000/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,500$5,200
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$902$937
Inexpensive meal$16$18
Monthly transit pass$42$100
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)43%37%
VAT / sales tax22%0%
Social security (employee)—7.7%
Corporate tax24%21%
Capital gains26%20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$1,900/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage—$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$43,309✓$90,027✓
Inflation (annual)1.5%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyModerateNative
Coworking spaces6045
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-8
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6667
Safety index5555
Healthcare index8078
Pollution index7035
Internet speed120 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8567
Public transport8262
Family-friendly6464
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy84 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateHigh
Climate
January avg+3 °C+5 °C
July avg+24 °C+20 °C
Sunny days / year130144
Rainfall / year1,000 mm940 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Italy vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Milan vs Portland — in your currency

MilanPortland
1-bed rent, city centre$1,500$1,600
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,150$1,300
Inexpensive meal$16$18
Monthly transit pass$42$100
Utilities (monthly)$190$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Milan

Italy's business, finance and fashion capital — the country's best job market, at its highest prices.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Italian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 3°C · ☀ 24°C · 130 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F/L · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Navigli · Brera · Isola

Good to know before you move to Portland

Green, quirky and bike-friendly with no sales tax — grey, rainy winters are the trade-off.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-8
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 20°C · 144 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Pearl District · Alberta · Hawthorne

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Milan to Portland: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Milan to Portland, your cost of living will be roughly 4% cheaper. Portland’s cost-of-living index is 107 versus 111 for Milan (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Milan cheaper than Portland?

Portland is about 4% cheaper than Milan overall — its cost-of-living index is 107 versus 111 for Milan.

Which is more expensive, Milan or Portland?

Milan is more expensive than Portland. Its cost-of-living index is 111 vs 107 (US = 100) — about 4% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Milan or Portland?

Rent is cheaper in Milan — about $1,500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,600 in Portland.

How much do you need to earn in Portland to live like in Milan?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Milan is worth about $72,153 in Portland. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Milan or Portland?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 43% in Italy.

◷ More comparisons from Milan

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.