If you were paying beyond $1200/mo for a place in PDX a few years ago, 30 minutes away from downtown, that would certainly be either a freestanding house with at least 2BR/2BA, or a newly constructed amazon box off the MAX line near Hillsboro. I know people here who still pay $700/mo for an apartment and when I was paying $1300 it seemed ridiculous, but it was a furnished ADU off Hawthorne, utilities included.
I hear ya about watching from outside. I left the US in 2006 and ended up sort of stuck back here in 2016 when my dad got sick. There's a twofold great thing when you're outside. You don't have to give a fuck about the internal politics in America, and everyone looks ridiculous (believe me - the shock of coming back and turning on TV here takes years to get over); and also, wherever you're living now, their problems aren't your problems. Even if they're rioting against their government every day. You can stand aloof.
No argument from me. I wish we could get all the other people to experience life outside their little bubbles. They wouldn't act so petty and stupid.