Cost of Living in Eugene, OR, United States

Updated On February 19, 2026
Alley entrance on the Public Market on the 5th Street Eugene downtown
Cost of Living Index:
72.4
* Based on Research & User Data

United States FlagUnited States : Cost of Living by City

Cost of Living in United States

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.

Cost of Living Breakdown in Eugene, OR

Restaurants

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.

Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) $20.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) $6.25
Water (0.33 Liter) $2.12
Markets

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.

Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter) $0.98
Loaf Bread (500g) $3.46
Eggs (12) $3.63
Transportation

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.

Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket $1.75
Monthly Pass $42.5
Gasoline $1.15
Utilities

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$.

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
Sports and leisure

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.

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
Clothing and shoes

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$.

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
Rent per month

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.

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

15%
30.8%
8.1%
7.9%
3.7%
2%
32.6%

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.

Average Salary$3050.00
Minimum Wage$2080.00
Mortgage Interest Rate6.58%

Eugene Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Eugene Safety Review

eugene
Safety Index:
52
OVERALL RISKMEDIUM
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISKLOW
PICKPOCKETS RISKLOW
NATURAL DISASTERS RISKMEDIUM
MUGGING RISKMEDIUM
TERRORISM RISKLOW
SCAMS RISKLOW
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISKMEDIUM
TAP WATER RISKLOW

Cost of Living by City in United States

City Cost of Living Index
United States FlagAlbany, NY 72.4
United States FlagAlbuquerque, NM 72.4
United States FlagAnchorage, AK 72.4
United States FlagAnn Arbor, MI 72.4
United States FlagArlington, TX 72.4
United States FlagAsheville, NC 72.4
United States FlagAtlanta, GA 72.4
United States FlagAustin, TX 72.4
United States FlagBakersfield, CA 72.4
United States FlagBaltimore, MD 72.4
United States FlagBellevue, WA 72.4
United States FlagBellingham, WA 72.4
United States FlagBerkeley, CA 72.4
United States FlagBirmingham, AL 72.4
United States FlagBoise, ID 72.4
United States FlagBoston, MA 72.4
United States FlagBoulder, CO 72.4
United States FlagBrooklyn, NY 72.4
United States FlagBuffalo, NY 72.4
United States FlagBurlington, VT 72.4
United States FlagCharleston, SC 72.4
United States FlagCharlotte, NC 73.33
United States FlagChattanooga, TN 72.4
United States FlagChicago, IL 72.4
United States FlagCincinnati, OH 72.4
United States FlagCleveland, OH 72.4
United States FlagColumbia, SC 72.4
United States FlagColumbus, OH 72.4
United States FlagDallas, TX 72.4
United States FlagDayton, OH 72.4
United States FlagDenver, CO 72.4
United States FlagDes Moines, IA 72.4
United States FlagDetroit, MI 72.4
United States FlagEl Paso, TX 72.4
United States FlagEverett, WA 72.4
United States FlagFayetteville, AR 72.4
United States FlagFort Myers, FL 72.4
United States FlagFort Wayne, IN 72.4
United States FlagFort Worth, TX 72.4
United States FlagFresno, CA 74.2
United States FlagGainesville, FL 74.2
United States FlagGrand Rapids, MI 74.2
United States FlagGreensboro, NC 74.2
United States FlagHartford, CT 74.2
United States FlagHonolulu, HI 74.2
United States FlagHouston, TX 74.2
United States FlagHuntsville, AL 74.2
United States FlagIndianapolis, IN 74.2
United States FlagIrvine, CA 74.2
United States FlagJacksonville, FL 74.2
United States FlagJersey City, NJ 74.2
United States FlagKansas City, MO 74.2
United States FlagKnoxville, TN 74.2
United States FlagLas Vegas, NV 74.2
United States FlagLexington, KY 74.2
United States FlagLittle Rock, AR 74.2
United States FlagLong Beach, CA 74.2
United States FlagLos Angeles, CA 74.2
United States FlagLouisville, KY 74.2
United States FlagLubbock, TX 74.2
United States FlagMadison, WI 74.2
United States FlagMemphis, TN 74.2
United States FlagMiami, FL 74.2
United States FlagMilwaukee, WI 74.2
United States FlagMinneapolis, MN 74.2
United States FlagNashville, TN 74.2
United States FlagNew Orleans, LA 74.2
United States FlagNew York, NY 74.2
United States FlagOakland, CA 74.2
United States FlagOklahoma City, OK 74.2
United States FlagOlympia, WA 74.2
United States FlagOrlando, FL 74.2
United States FlagPeoria, IL 72.4
United States FlagPhiladelphia, PA 72.4
United States FlagPhoenix, AZ 72.4
United States FlagPittsburgh, PA 72.4
United States FlagPortland, ME 72.4
United States FlagPortland, OR 72.4
United States FlagRaleigh, NC 72.4
United States FlagReno, NV 72.4
United States FlagRichmond, VA 74.2
United States FlagRochester, NY 74.2
United States FlagSacramento, CA 74.2
United States FlagSaint Louis, MO 74.2
United States FlagSaint Paul, MN 74.2
United States FlagSaint Petersburg, FL 74.2
United States FlagSalem, OR 74.2
United States FlagSalt Lake City, UT 74.2
United States FlagSan Antonio, TX 74.2
United States FlagSan Diego, CA 74.2
United States FlagSan Francisco, CA 74.2
United States FlagSan Jose, CA 74.2
United States FlagSanta Barbara, CA 74.2
United States FlagSanta Rosa, CA 74.2
United States FlagSeattle, WA 74.2
United States FlagSpokane, WA 74.2
United States FlagSpringfield, MO 74.2
United States FlagSyracuse, NY 74.2
United States FlagTacoma, WA 74.2
United States FlagTallahassee, FL 74.2
United States FlagTampa, FL 74.2
United States FlagToledo, OH 74.2
United States FlagTucson, AZ 74.2
United States FlagTulsa, OK 74.2
United States FlagVancouver, WA 74.2
United States FlagVirginia Beach, VA 74.2
United States FlagWashington, DC 74.2
United States FlagWest Palm Beach, FL 74.2
United States FlagWichita, KS 74.2

Where to Next?

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

4 Reviews on Eugene, OR

  1. M
    Mark Croom says:

    In Oregon, the cost of living is similar to what one experiences elsewhere, but it may depend on how you budget your money wisely. I am used to cooking up meals for myself and for my friends whenever they are chilling at my place.

  2. J
    Jennifer Vitale says:

    If you are living alone in Eugene, I think its best to get a one bedroom apartment and it will save you more. The best tip is to look for the best streets and places so you can be safe and peaceful.

  3. M
    Mackenzie says:

    Sounds like a cool place with a lot going for it, but I wonder how the cost of living stacks up with all those perks.

  4. S
    Stephanie says:

    Sounds like Eugene has a unique vibe, especially with the college scene. But I wonder how the living costs stack up for people trying to settle there. It can be tough when a city’s perks come with a higher price tag. Definitely makes you think about balancing those opportunities with affordability!

Eugene, OR Rated 4.5 / 5 based on 4 user reviews.

Share Your Experience

Share
Facebook Pinterest Review
4