How Much Does It Cost to Live In Eugene, OR?
Eugene is a city in Oregon at the southern, located at the end of the Willamette Valley.
The city is best known for being the home of the University of Oregon.
Eugene is a college town that is not too diverse and is very white ethnically.
The great thing about it is that it’s only a couple of hours’ drive to the coast for beaches, whale watching, etc., and the same distance to the Cascade Mountains for Wilderness experiences.
A significant college gives the city more culture, better sports, more concerts, and employment opportunities that a city of 150 thousand people usually wouldn’t have.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
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- Chicago, IL
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- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
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- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
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- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
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- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
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- Indianapolis, IN
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RESTAURANTS
While there are plenty of bars and grills, the food tends to be bar food in this city.
Still, you’ll find many restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops scattered around the city.
Here, you can have a gorgeous meal at an inexpensive restaurant for only 20$.
However, you should still remember that eating out will empty your wallet faster than if you cook for yourself.
MARKETS
Local farms are definitely the most significant aspect of living in Eugene.
At affordable prices, you can buy farm produce, raw milk, nuts, peaches, berries, farm eggs, and grass-fed beef in Eugene or grow your own.
The valley is full of life.
Grocery stores may or not have the same food stocked monthly.
If you need something specific, you may have to go to six different stores to find it.
TRANSPORTATION
Eugene has an excellent system of bike routes and plenty of bike friendly streets, and its bike paths make it possible to ride along rivers, mountain trails and through covered bridges.
This way, you can save a lot of money you would otherwise spend on public transportation.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are relatively reasonably priced in Eugene.
For an apartment of a larger structure (85m2), all basic utilities – including electricity, along with heating and cooling, water, gas and garbage services – costs around 200$.
Internet is pretty pricey though, amounting up to 68$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Also known as Berkeley of the north and Track Town, USA, Eugene is the center of much running and track activity.
Eugene also has the best, most extensive bicycle path system in the north.
This way, you can save a lot of money you would otherwise spend on gyms or fitness clubs.
But if you prefer going to the gym, it will cost you around 37$ a month which is reasonable.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Valley River Center is the largest shopping mall in the Eugene area.
The prices here are not too high: a pair of quality jeans like Levi’s costs 60$, a pair of quality running sneakers like Nike are around 100$, while simpler items of clothing like shirts cost around 35$.
RENT PER MONTH
Housing is affordable compared to other places, but it still depends on your personal preferences and where you want to live – as well as on the size of the apartment you’re looking for.
You can find a lovely apartment for less than 1500$.
It’s a great place to invest in real estate, as well.
Taxes, however, are pretty high.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Eugene, OR
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $20.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $6.25 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.12 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.98 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.46 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.63 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.75 |
| Monthly Pass | $42.5 |
| Gasoline | $1.15 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $197.96 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $67.91 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $37.50 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $15.00 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $12.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $62.50 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $40.00 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $98.33 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1475.77 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1216.92 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2449.38 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Eugene, OR?
Food and groceries are the biggest expense of anyone living in Eugene, along with rent.
However, rest assured that rent is definitely one of the most expensive aspects of living in this country.
Apart from food and rent, people spend a lot of money on transportation and restaurants – since there are many people who are used to eating all three meals in restaurants.
Utilities are also a significant expense for an average person living in Eugene – as this has to be paid, like it or not.
Average Costs Breakdown
Eugene, OR: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Salaries in Eugene are definitely high and make a living in this city a very pleasant and comfortable experience, though they are significantly lower than in many other major cities.
Still, the minimum wage in Eugene, which amounts to around 3000$ is still a reasonable amount of money that goes in line with the high standard of living here, especially considering that the prices here are lower than the country’s average.
Though it certainly isn’t the most expensive place to be, people in Eugene are certain there’s room for improvement.
Eugene Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Eugene Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
