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I'm pretty bourgeois and it's entirely affordable to me. Rent is 50% less.

My total monthly bills for utilities are $245 for a house, with AC.

Electricity is half the price it is in the bay area. Parking is a quarter of the price.

Do you have children? The problems OP complains about with San Fran, won't be made any better if he brings his SF salary here. That's the problem. It's pricing locals out of affordable housing. Rentals here in Sellwood/Westmoreland start at $2000/mo. When we got to Portland two years ago, rentals here started at $1100/mo.

Portland is THE most expensive place we've lived in in Oregon. A family of four pays between 150-200/mo for electric/natural gas and water. We've lived in Salem and Eugene for comparisons sake. Our electric bill in Eugene, with central AC (that ran from pretty much March - September) would max out at $75/mo.

Our apartment is 900/month near the 28th St. and E Burnside restaurants. Great area and we find it very affordable. No kids though. Last I looked, if you can put 10-20% down, you can get a nice house in the area for 1500-1750 a month mortgage payment.

Portland being the most expensive city in Oregon is expected... It's like comparing Seattle to Tacoma/Pullman in Washington.

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