| Index | South Portland | Maine | National |
| Cost of living | 118 | 100 | 100 |
| Groceries | 103 | 103 | 100 |
| Health care | 101 | 101 | 100 |
| Housing | 152 | 91 | 100 |
| Transportation | 101 | 103 | 100 |
| Utilities | 109 | 108 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 105 | 103 | 100 |
| Household Items | 103 | 103 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 109 | 106 | 100 |
Getting a feel for the cost of living in South Portland is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in South Portland is 118, which is 18% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in South Portland, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 51.9% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is South Portland an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in South Portland, the median home price is 55.7% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 43.2% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in South Portland come in at $100,078, which is 23% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In South Portland, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 5.5%, and income tax rates start at 5.8%.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In South Portland, the utilities index registers 9.4% higher than the national average.
The cost of living data for South Portland shown above is based on a U.S. average baseline score of 100, making it easier to compare how far your dollar may go from one city to another. Housing uses U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all remaining values are AI-assisted estimates informed by regional pricing, climate, transportation dynamics, and local economic factors. These scores are best used for directional comparisons between cities.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $127,826 | $10,652 | $2,982 | $3,835 |
| Renters | $71,024 | $5,919 | $1,657 | $2,131 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Maine | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Maine | 5.8% | 7.15% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Little Falls, ME | 761 | 101 | 1.5% |
| Freeport, ME | 1,947 | 106 | 6.0% |
| Old Orchard Beach, ME | 9,273 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Westbrook, ME | 19,325 | 110 | 10.4% |
| North Windham, ME | 5,875 | 111 | 11.0% |
| South Portland, ME | 26,521 | 118 | 18.4% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Columbine, CO | 26,527 | 145 | 44.8% |
| Green, OH | 26,538 | 98 | 1.8% |
| Conception Bay South, NL | 26,497 | n/a | |
| Holt, MI | 26,494 | 98 | 2.0% |
| Lebanon, PA | 26,484 | 88 | 11.6% |
| South Portland, ME | 26,521 | 118 | 18.4% |
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