Moving to Portland: Your Complete Guide

It’s time to delve into the wild, eccentric, and weird city that is Portland, Oregon! If you’re planning on moving to Portland, get ready for a fantastic food scene, wonderful natural landscapes, and one of the most unique cities in the United States.

Rip City revival is coming, and with more affordable housing than ever before, Portland is making a comeback. In the past two years with U-Haul equipment, more than 15,000 people have started calling PDX their new home.

Portland was where the first retail store of U-Haul started more than 80 years ago, and with all that moving experience, we know what works best.

If you’re planning on moving to Portland, get ready to understand all the local quirks this city comes with. This guide will include everything you need to know before moving to The City of Roses.

Overview: Cost of Living in Portland

Unlike Seattle and Los Angeles, this progressive West Coast metro is known for its relative affordability, with the cost of living being only 17% higher than the national average. The biggest savings in Portland will be in your utilities and transportation.

Housing Costs: With rental prices skyrocketing around the country, Portland’s rental market is very renter-friendly. Most one-bedroom apartments start at $1,400 to $1,800, and two- to three-bedroom apartments start at $1,700 and go up to $2,200. The average 30-year fixed mortgage in Portland is around $2,894. However, this is dependent on the total down payment amount and APR.

Utilities: Due to Portland’s moderate to cold weather throughout the year, utilities are going to be on the cheaper side. During the colder months from September to May, expect to pay around $110-$140 for electricity, sewer, water, and trash. These numbers tend to go down in the summer by around $50. There are parts of June and July that have gotten hotter, and most apartments do not come with A/C.

Transportation: Portland is a very walkable city with a very extensive public transportation system. Portland also ranks second in bike score among the nation's biggest cities. This is due to the city’s commitment to staying green. With light rails, buses, and multiple streetcars, it can be easy to get around in Portland without a car.

Where to Live in Portland

Portland is one of those unique cities where types of lifestyles tend to stick to certain neighborhoods, some that are even right next to each other. Those looking for more of a lively lifestyle will most likely land in Downtown Portland, while small families tend to stick to duplexes and quadplexes in South Portland. Larger families tend to reside on the city outskirts.

Young Professionals: Downtown Portland is home to great food options, local bars and arcades, and the world’s largest new and used bookstore in the world! The Pearl District in Portland is the best of the best when it comes to things to do. With four different parks, five art galleries, and numerous breweries and bars, this area is perfect for young adults and professionals looking for a fun time. There is also First Thursday every month, where local artists gather and showcase their work up and down Portland Streets.

Families/Long-term Residents: For an affordable suburb in Portland, Sellwood-Moreland is a fantastic option. Sellwood Park, Oaks Amusement Park, and Oaks Bottom Wildlife Reserve are all right next to each other and border and Willamette River. This means family fun time is a possibility every weekend! Waverly Marina is also a great spot to take the family for a boat ride.

The Portland Housing Market

While not building as many new houses as other booming cities, Portland is getting creative (like it always is) and building more duplexes and quadplexes. This leads to a more tight-knit community, better walkability, and increased biking throughout the city. According to the American Lung Association, Portland ranks in the top 25 of the cleanest U.S. cities.

The Residential Infill Project: Back in 2020, Portland passed the Residential Infill Project. This bill takes land designated for single-family homes and turns them into duplexes, triplexes, and other smaller housing options. Making them more affordable for new and current home buyers. These units are priced more than $300,000 less than typical traditional single-family homes.

Good To Know: When buying a home in Portland, it's good to know what to look for. Often, the biggest expense that people don’t expect when buying a new home is when to replace the roof and how much it’s going to cost. This cost can run around $15,000 to $20,000 and can be a lifesaver when it comes to the frequent amount of rain Portland receives. Remember, when purchasing a home, get inspections from a reputable company or contractor and negotiate in the buying process.

Planning the Move to Portland

Any move takes planning, not just with how you’re going to pack your items, but how you’re going to move your items. Portland is known for having very narrow streets with bike paths and large sidewalks, and this will impact how you move. If you’re moving on a budget, just know that most of the items you plan on taking may need to be left behind or sold.

Things to Consider: Many things to consider are how many people you are moving, if you are moving with kids, if you are moving large furniture items, or if you are selling your items and starting fresh. Be honest with yourself about what you can pack and how long it is going to take. Give yourself an additional week during the moving process if you can, to allow for any hiccups in the moving process.

How to Pack: Packing your belongings with efficiency is crucial during your move. Purchasing the right kind of moving supplies can make a move much easier and less stressful. Packing your kitchen, closet, and living room will most likely take the most amount of time, so plan around those rooms with extra days.

Budgeting for the New City: When moving to any new city, understanding what the new costs of living are going to be is essential. Portland does not have a sales tax, which will save you money on big purchases. However, Portland does have some of the highest business taxes in the country, which tends to make goods and services cost a bit more.

Life in Portland After the Move

Portland is known to have a more opposite approach to its northern metro mate, Seattle. Seattle is known for the Seattle Freeze, where people generally stick to themselves. Portland is known for a much more laid-back, laissez-faire attitude. Portland is weird, and Portlanders love it that way.

The Big Gray: Overcast in Portland from the months of October to March can take a toll on some people. Make sure to take a daily vitamin D supplement, and when it is sunny outside, take the day off work and enjoy it! If you are purchasing a home, take advantage of the frequent rain and plant a garden! Portland is already green, and support for home gardening is huge in the city.

Parks and Gardens: A great aspect of Portland’s greenery is how many local parks and rose gardens there are. Portland’s official city nickname is the “City of Roses,” and if you're planning your move, make the International Rose Test Garden one of your first stops. This garden is open daily, and admission is always free. With more than 10,000 rose bushes, this is a great place for a romantic date.

Portland Sports: The Portland Timbers and Trail Blazers are the most popular sports teams in the city. With the Timbers routinely packing out their stadium and the Trail Blazers looking to make some noise with the return of franchise favorite Damian Lillard. Just outside Portland are the Hillsboro Hops single-A baseball team and the summer baseball team, Portland Pickles.

Get Outdoors: Oregon consistently ranks as one of the most beautiful states in the nation. With Crater Lake National Park, beautiful beaches, and a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail residing in the state, the outdoors are some of the most captivating places to go in Portland. Overlooking Portland is the highest peak in Oregon, Mount Hood. This peak is known as one of the most difficult to climb in the Pacific Northwest if you’re up for a serious challenge.

Make Moving to Portland Easier with U-Haul

Avoid Narrow Roads: Portland is known for narrow roads and small homes. To make your move even easier, U-Box containers can be placed anywhere a small forklift can go. So, you don’t have to worry about a moving truck taking up so much space.

A Reliable Truck and Trailer: At U-Haul, trucks and trailers are built to last. These trucks and trailers are cared for by our techs, and with over 120 repair shops across the country, they make them the most reliable rental trucks and trailers available.

Storing More in PDX: Are you worried about having too much stuff? There are more than 15 U-Haul storage centers located in the Portland metro area, making it easier to find your items. Worried about the rain? U-Haul also offers climate-controlled storage for your belongings.

Unique Moving Supplies: Just like Portland’s unique features, U-Haul has some, too! With boxes and kits specifically designed for your flat-screen TV, a complicated wardrobe, and specialty kits for instruments, U-Haul has got what you need!

Out of the Rain: If you want to avoid the rain in Portland and not lift a finger when it comes to your move, get some Moving Help! Moving Help is customizable to your move. When it comes to packing, cleaning, loading, and unloading, Moving Help gives you a near full-service move for a fraction of the cost!