Denver vs Portland vs Seattle | Which city is for you? 

SAME!!! Totally surprised me that there is content for EXACTLY what i’m looking for lol

Good luck guys!

Portland……Rampant theft, property crimes, homelessness, and drug use. Take your family to Denver….i grew up in Portland and now live just north in Vancouver Wa…hurts my heart to say, but Portland just sucks now😔

@@chickenmama5051 Denver has a lot of homeless people to almost on every street and highway to be honest all 3 of these cities suck because of high cost living and homelessness…..

Same here! Been considering all 3 cities. I'll let the universe decided with whichever job I land lol.

This is the way lol

Wow, at first this made me laugh till I cried, and now here I am, looking for apartments in Vancouver on Zillow. Thank you for the best advice in the week!

that seems like more trouble than its worth, unless you make it a point to pick a certain day out of the week to go into Portland and get all your shopping done, including groceries. it should definitely be on the weekend cause crossing the 1-5 bridge during the week is pure HELL with all that traffic!!!

@@quevidafilms I was going to really do it....but I have a big family and they're all here in the Bay Area....after weeks of contemplating....I realized I wouldn't be happy being that far away from them.....did you end up finding a place ?

@@danoles2k Well....whoever goes shopping during rush hour isn't that bright.

Very well said and I agree! Portland is my favorite mid-size city with so much to offer.

This was a thoughtful response. However, I wanted to ask: What’s your race? What are your thoughts on diversity in Portland? I believe your race does play apart in your experience living somewhere. I’m African-American and I will be completing my undergrad in a year and I’m really considering moving to Portland, but it would be nice to be around at least SOME black people.

@@ericnwachukwu Born and raised Portlander here. Despite of what you heard, there are black people there. People there overall are pretty chill, laid back, and open-minded. There is racism, but on a systemic level. Not very many racist attitudes on an individual level. Oregonians are a different breed of American. There’s nothing like the Pacific Northwest. The vibe is untouchable.

I’m a native Portlander who moved to Seattle 5 months ago and I already want to move back. Seattle feels too busy and fast paced for me, and I prefer more of a midsized city feel.

Seattle is better than Portland . Portland is too far inland and the Portland Timbers are trash.

Don't worry the Clinton's will soon return to Washington D.C. and all our problems will go away :)

Thank you, I was wondering if I could connect to Vancouver, WA

Hell yeah that's why I wanna move there!

NYC is the worst and then San Francisco and La

That's interesting... we've been truly reeling in Denver at how bad our traffic has gotten (suddenly 25 to the airport from downtown is an hour 15, a 2 hour drive to Breck has become 4-5hours), but that could mostly be because there used to be virtually no traffic. My best friend went to Seattle Pacific and we visited her a few times, the city feels much bigger, much more modern, much more cultured. Just navigating the city seemed like quite the task. But, as an uber driver, I had folks from Omaha or Kansas City freaking out about our downtown layout and I chuckled. Denver's homelessness has about gotten to what I saw in Seattle in 2019, but hard to say where that will go, seems to come and go with the years, and for better or worse, the cold literally drives them away. It's actually quite sad as they come from New Mexico, Cali, Texas, and your way, and simply don't understand what negative temperatures mean...

Best thing i did was get rid of my car. Zooming past traffic is hilarious 😂 people get so offended then blast their little engines to be at yet another red light. Silly cars

LONG WINDED ANSWER WARNING: Sorry Hey, Thanks for watching the video! Seattle is typically going to be more expensive than Denver in most scenarios, but a percentage is really tough to give because there are so many variables in an equation that even if you know the rough percentages, you can easily have additional elements that you need to consider. Now, I do not know your specific circumstances, but rather than a giving you a generality I would approach finding YOUR cost of living like this: 1. Income: How would your income change between the two cities. Determine what your salary/wages/profits would approximately be. In Seattle most people will earn a bit more. Denver also has an income tax too. Here is a great tool to do determine the general post tax income you can expect after taxes. Income tax calculator: smartasset.com/taxes/income-taxes 2. Housing: The biggest chunk of the cost of living is housing. When you use on online calculator they will use median costs. If you are good to rough it or need certain accommodations you can be in for a rude awakening when it is time to move. You know how much it costs where you are and you know the types of accommodations you need in Denver. Whether you are renting or buying you can get a rough idea on Zillow to see what the market roughly looks like. www.zillow.com/ 3. Boots on the ground: You did not say if you had been to Denver or not, but if you have, you may know the exact areas you would want to live and can apply for jobs with the knowledge of your desired home base. If you have not been there, I would definitely go if you can find the time. 4. If you can't get boots on the ground: If you can't find the time here are some unorthodox things you can do to figure out what the specific cost of living may be for more detailed items. - Find listings that you like and ask for Tax statements and utility information from a realtor that is in the same areas you are looking to buy. This will help you determine what you can expect to pay. Don't be afraid to ask how many people lived there too. Utilities can fluctuate a lot with additional people. You can ask questions about the local gas, water, electric, and trash expenses to actually get tangible information to run your simulation. - Look online at local businesses to see the types of price they charge for items you commonly buy. You can look at sales ads or do this on Instacart for groceries, or other similar services. - Gas Buddy lists gas prices for local areas, so you can get a sense of how much you may need to budget for Transportation. - You can get insurance quotes online. - Find out about loan pre-qualifications and interest rates, if you are buying. - Estimate moving expenses as well. If you do all of these things, I think you will have a much more concrete idea about what you are really getting yourself into. It sounds like you have been crunching the numbers and researching already, but you may need to get boots on the ground if you can't decide after running the numbers. One underrated idea is to move somewhere in a temporary rental rather than buying or signing a lease immediately. This allows you to make sure you actually like where you moved before purchasing or getting involved in a long term lease. The downside is, you may have to move your stuff twice. My Aunt and Uncle moved across the country and they visited the area many times before. They scoured the internet and knew where they wanted to move. Once they moved there, they stayed with friends for a bit while they were searching and learned more about the area that turned them off. They ended up moving 60 miles on the other side of town. Don't underestimate the power of living in the area. Sorry for the long winded answer, but I really hope this helps. Don't be afraid to take your time and run the scenarios. If you have another question hit me up. Take Care!

@@BrothaontheGo fantastic information, I really appreciate it!! And great video btw 👍

Hey, no problem, at all! Thanks for the compliment too. Take Care!

Ayye Issaquah

Hey Eric! What do you love about Issaquah?

needing a car to go almost literally anywhere is the biggest thing keeping me from moving to Arizona. I swear the state colluded with the auto + oil/gas industries to make the least walkable metros in the entire US

How tf Seattle went from in my opinion the most beautiful city in America to a total dump? Same with San Francisco

Lol that’s all opinion. I’m my opinion Denver is more beautiful that both Seattle and Portland. I’m from Texas btw

portland also has glaciers and is the only place in the country where you can ski year round

@@boxinggoat3766 ew I guess if you hate water lol. I’ve yet to go to any part of Denver and was like, oh this is pretty.

@@tb5124 you act as if Seattle is a tropical paradise. Even in the mid-summer Seattle waters are cold AF! Not exactly my idea of a beach vacation if I’m being honest 🤓

Coast not beach

Lol, not wrong though. The coast is cold Sep-May too.

Idiotic comment.

Haha, they call Denver, “ MENVER”

I'm from Portland and I definitely agree that people in Seattle are not friendly and kinda stuck up

It's an under-appreciated risk for sure. But not one that other countries (and states, namely Alaska) haven't faced successfully. At the end of the day, the risk of dying the mega-quake is small compared to a car wreck, cancer or heart disease. It's scary, but there's lots of other scary things to worry about.

NW Arkansas is beautiful but it’s for suburbanites and families who are afraid of real cities. It’s not urban or cultured like the other three in this video.

Hey M C, thanks for watching the video. I totally believe that. It has become less and less affordable for middle class to make it when the prices have gone up so much. Take care!

Vancouver: That is CUTE

Yeah I live in Seattle and my house is worth 1.8 million and it’s not even that big

@@halfvolley11 Seattle is more expensive then Vancouver lol I’ve been to both

@@DKMetcaIf really! I would not have guessed.

Well said, Dave! Since you have lived in all three places, do you have a favorite? And if so, why?

@@BrothaontheGo That's tough to answer. They all have their plusses and minuses, and I was at different phases of my life. I would actually probably put Denver below the PNW cities, just because it's so sprawled. IF you're comparing to Ft Collins, Boulder, or smaller, Denver-adjacent cities, I think I would rate those higher. Traffic on I-70 has apparently gotten horrendous and Denver is just very big to get across.

That makes sense. Thanks for sharing and take care!

Seattle’s got the biggest suburbs and city

Any idea why utility cost is cheap in PNW?

Yeah, I moved from that area last year . It’s beautiful and it will always be where I am from. But, it has changed quite a bit. Where are you from?

Portland has the best food of the 3....Seattle is horrible...

Hey John, I get that. They are all acquires tastes. I still live in the pacific northwest, but I definitely feel that it has changed a lot of the years. Thanks for watching and take care!

Now that they have made The Hardest drugs basically legal....Don't Raise children in Portland/ Seattle....

Hey Friday Ray, It is really weird that they decriminalized hard drugs in Portland. I'm not holding my breath for a good result on that law. What areas of the country do you like?

Hey Lisa, I think you are correct the climates can very between the PNW cities and Denver. This video was already almost 13 minutes long. I think I had to try to cover differences that I perceived to be a bit more pertinent for comparison purposes. I think your analysis of the situation is pretty spot on though. Since you have live in two of these cities. Do you have a preference between Denver and Seattle? And if so, why? Thanks for sharing some great info! Take Care!

Hey Lisa, where do you prefer between Denver and Seattle?

Good points on the climate. My sinuses are better in the Pacific Northwest with more moisture vs the dry air in Colorado. I have considered all of these cities and lean toward the Pacific Northwest for a few reasons. The big one for me is being on the Pacific Coast. Living in Texas all my life, I always loved the ocean. The Pacific Northwest has the best of both worlds - the coast and the mountains. Whereas Denver is land locked. The other thing nobody mentioned was the dense forests and greenery of the Pacific Northwest and the huge trees, which I love. Colorado has some beautiful, forested mountains, but not the huge trees. The main drawback of the Pacific Northwest is the long, gloomy winters and less sunshine. If you really need the sun, then Colorado is the winner. It's a tough call, but any of these beat Dallas/Ft. Worth by a long shot, which is where I live.

Why?

Honestly, everything you just mentioned both cities accommodate well. What else matters to you?

They are some of the most beautiful! I see Coffee in your name. Are you from the PNW?

@@BrothaontheGo I used to live in Seattle not too long ago and miss it dearly. I have also been a couple of times to both Colorado and Oregon. I also love Coffee and Seattle has so many coffee shop! My love for coffee inspired my name 😁

Nice, as a PNW native I can appreciate your love for coffee... Don't hate me, but I am not really a coffee drinker.

@@BrothaontheGo I don't hate you hehe 💗 Not every one likes coffee :) This cities also have some great breweries and good food! 😄

I know all too well on the food part. I need to put down the fork and exercise more 😂😂😂

Thanks for watching! Storyblocks is the name of the service I use. They are inexpensive for the value. Have a great day!

Hey, thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Living in a place that fits you is so important. I live in Washington, but I am not a big fan of some of the bigger cities either. I do think the small towns and more rural areas in the northwest are pretty nice! Have you lived in Seattle and Portland as well? Also, I really want to visit Denver soon. Do you have any favorite spots to check out?

@@BrothaontheGo I have only visied Seattle, never been to Portland but both cities look amazing on the pictures! In Denver I like the Rino art district and also Lohi to walk around. The botanical gardens are also really cool and of course I recommend visiting Red Rocks, either to see a concert or just have a pic nic overlooking the valley. Also love having a city lifestyle without the city pain so I think either one of these 3 cities are the right size for me!

Hey, I really appreciate the tips on Denver! I am hoping within the next couple of years to really do some more extensive travelling. I have been to Colorado a couple of times, but haven't made it too far east yet. I didn't know you could visit red rocks if there wasn't a concert. So, I definitely want to do that. Thanks again for sharing and take care!

I always see people from Denver zealously listing the reasons why they live there (usually the same stuff that all "tier 2" cities have) as if to convince themselves more than anyone else. They kinda seem to have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. BTW, are the "natives" still grumpy and nasty to newcomers? That was always hilarious to me when I lived there. As if you own a town because you were born there. Hilarious.

@@robbetts not sure what your experience has been. I'm not trying to convince anyone to move here and no, not all Tier 2 cities have the mix of sunny days, snow sports, infrastructure, diversity, landscape, cost of living, etc. Also, native coloradans are close to 50% of the state's population. They are used to having people from other places moving or visiting. I think you should stay were you are. You and your attitude.

Yea...thanks to a the liberal pukes....

But they have great transit though. Most cities have either mediocre or no service.

Haha, yeah they got that reputation. Are you a Seattle area local? If so, what do you think of the area? Thanks!

@@BrothaontheGo yeah, I’m from Bellevue but currently living in Seattle. Recently, it’s been pretty tough living in the city due to the mass homelessness, expensive housing, and protests. Personally, I would recommend living in the outskirts of Seattle in places like Kirkland, Bellevue, Renton, and other places that are more affordable and still close to the city

I agree! For the money, it is worth it to live in one of those areas you mentioned and avoid some of the difficulties that come with Seattle. I am not a big city guy to begin with. So, maybe I am not the best barometer, but I always enjoy getting the perspective from locals. I appreciate you taking the time to answer that question! Take care!

Hey Shelton, Thanks for watching the video! When you say I should make a video on moving across the country do you mean the best driving routes and like where to stop? A series like this could actually be interesting. But, I would be a bit hesitant to do this just because depending on the time of year some routes can be more dangerous than others in the winter. I wouldn't want to feel responsible for this. Is this what you meant or did I misunderstand your suggestion? Have a great day!

@@BrothaontheGo It would be an amazing series. I would say you can give route options (seasonal routes, so the viewers know when it is best to travel for their location) and places to stop and see. Cost of travel, gas, hotels, car/truck rental. Compare regions/state they are coming from. For example if I was coming from North Carolina I would use Raleigh as the starting location; for many Capitals are near the center of their state. Different ideas such as packing up a small car and driving alone to move (maybe rent that car if you dont need one in Seattle), or packing up a whole house and family. As well as tips for Definitely add your own ideas as well as feel free to ask me for more.

Downtown PDX is bigger. Seattle has a more impressive skyline, but the actual downtown is small.

Hey Jeremy, thanks for watching! That is an excellent point. If you are outdoorsy in Portland, living in the east gives you more convenient access to the Columbia River Gorge. Have you lived in one of these cities?

Also, I am not into climbing, but where are a couple of spots you would recommend for those who are?

Estacada is also about 29 miles Southeast of Portland & there are hot springs there. Mt. Hood is about an hour from Portland for mountain climbing. Portland also has the Columbia River Gorge nearby. Hood River, Oregon is a beautiful town about an hour away with all kinds of activities on the Columbia.

Hey Shawn, Thanks for watching my video. I think it's a difficult decision for so many people, but I think visiting most cities, talking to locals, and looking at jobs/housing opportunities helps to narrow down most decisions. Have a great day and thanks for leaving your input!

Denver COL is lower than Seattle but it's still not low (currently live there).

True, Seattle is super spendy!

I think the tweaker population is higher in Denver.

@@obijuankenobi420 I'm still in Denver and haven't been to Seattle so I don't know...can't personally compare it. I do know the drug use seems worse downtown anymore. It's a regular thing to see multiple folks passed out/slumped over/looking in a stupor on sidewalks/public places. Whether it's drugs or booze or a combo it's just sad to me. Saw a kid lying on the sidewalk near the backside of the library with a needle right next to him not too long ago. I regularly see needles on the ground when out and about too.

YeH, it’s honestly one of the biggest reasons I left the Northwest myself. What do you think of Fort Collins

@@BrothaontheGo where do you live now ?

Hi Sammie, I currently living in Virginia ( near DC) and might have to move to either Colorado or Seattle in 3 months. How is it like living in Colorado you might if I ask ? And the weather too esp in summer ? Thank you Sammie

@@yuringuyen856 I live in Colorado Springs. Its lots of Sunshine here. Close to 300 days on average. I think the thing people have to get used to most is the altitude and the dryness. There is no humidity here. Summers are nice with lots of things to do if you're "outdoorsy". But we do get a lot of wildfires and hail storms even in summer. The winters are about average for a winter state. Weather can fluctuate during the winter. You may have a week of 60 degree weather and then a few days of 10 degree weather and vice versa. I'd say just research the city and neighborhoods you want to move to. Good luck!

@@sammiesosa1608 Thank you Sammie

@@yuringuyen856 yeah in Denver the hardest part I think was the climate for me. It’s also very polluted in the summer, think it’s something to do with the ozone then add the smoke from wildfires. If you enjoy water of any form, including rain, I’d avoid CO. They also aren’t very good about plowing when it snows compared to other snowy places I’ve lived. I knew it was sunny and dry but no one warned me about the air quality so thought I’d give ya a heads up.

@@tb5124 so where do you live now?

Hey Adoraim! I appreciate your kind words and the subscription! Those rapids are in Denver and they are located in the waterfront area. I believe the specific body of water is the South Platte River. I see pictures of it by searching South Platte River Denver Colorado. I also found a video a REALLY old video of people trying the rapids. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-quv7bnCnIXw.html Have a great day!

It's called Confluence Park... you can rent kayaks and the flagship Denver REI store is right there as well: www.uncovercolorado.com/public-parks/confluence-park-denver/

😂😂😂 Well, keep in mind that doesn’t include Federal taxes, but point taken. Have a good day.

🤣🤣🤣 I can relate to this. I grew up in the Portland area and honestly growing up there was so different from how things are today. I ended up moving to Arizona for college and moved back after… it is way too hot here in the summer though lol. Where do you call home these days?

Same, I don’t know how to feel about Portland lol

You'll love it my man, don't worry too much.

More jobs....Denver is horrible......

Hey Garrett, thanks for watching and I am glad you enjoyed the video! I am from the Northwest myself. I gotta say I went to the Vancouver Waterfront a couple months ago. It is super nice! What do you think of the Washington side versus the Oregon side for those who may be interested in moving there?

Hey Sope1544, thanks for watching the video! What make Portland the place you want to move to so badly?

@@BrothaontheGo jobs and the scenery

It is a beautiful area. You don't have to venture far outside the city to feel totally away from it all either. Good luck getting over to PDX and take care!

@@BrothaontheGo thanks still deciding if I should or not lol

I've been there. Any questions about the area that I can help you with?

I appreciate this! Thanks for sharing!

Nice! I grew up in the Portland area. It can be crazy sometimes, but that area will always be home. Thanks for watching!

It’s truly sad to see what has happened in some areas in the Northwest. I’m from the Portland metro area and it got really bad in the last few years. When I go back I definitely avoid Portland when I can. Are you from the PNW too?

I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. It is difficult to go in depth too much on a video comparing 3 places and the video still was fairly long. But, I am always open to hearing what people would prefer to see. What kind of things do you wish would have been covered that weren’t?

Hey, I am with you myself. I’m from the Portland area, so it will always be home, but it’s not a place I would have moved to. What areas do you like?

True story. Are you thinking about moving right now?

I can definitely relate to that! I do live in the Northwest and it is different. But, there are some fantastic places to visit! I have family in So Cal and I feel the same way. It is nice to visit, but too crowded to live there. Take care!

@@BrothaontheGo For me I am more of a midwest guy. Not saying these cities are bad places though.

Oh nice! I am one of those coastal people who hasn't traveled to the midwest, outside of the Chicago area. I really want to visit more places in the area. What are your favorite spots in the midwest?

@@BrothaontheGo I am from Wisconsin so I am a bit biased when I say Wisconsin Dells and Door County. I also like SE Ohio and the Missouri Ozarks being the only places in the midwest with mountains.

Nice, Wisconsin bias is ok with me. I have family in Kenosha. Everyone swears by the Branson area. I really wanna check it out at some point. There are so many places I wanna go and not enough time! Thanks for sharing and take care!

Same. I may be aiming towards Seattle. I’m still not sure. I haven’t been to either city.

@@wturner777 Let’s go visit lol

Hey Randall, in the videos I have been making recently I have included both metro and city population.

@@BrothaontheGo Thanks man - I just saw this video and will watch more of yours. Great job!

Thanks, I really appreciate the support! What area of the country are you from?

@@BrothaontheGo I live in Boise, Idaho - I have family in all of those cities and I love each of them for different reasons. Seattle is my fave for fun, but I love Portland, Denver, and Boise too. :)

Oh wow, Boise is a growing market rn. I hear it's crazy out there. What do you think of the area? I see your hat there. Were you in the service?

What’s your job field?

@@honeyvoss1477 Logistics

Then move to Denver

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed. it!