$100k salary, packing up from Melbourne

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Portland, OR cityscape

next stop after melbourne

Portland

or · metro 2.5M

photo: Rufina Rusakova / pexels

a dispatch from

portland

OR

45.52°N

122.68°W

Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.

metro2.5M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$615

the monthly cost of moving past Melbourne

Portland costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

6% cheaper than Melbourne(vs $1,895/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$729/mo more in state tax than Melbourne

vs 0% in Melbourne

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$615 less than Melbourne

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$562k

60% more expensive than Melbourne

vs $351k in Melbourne

05metro size

2.5M

vs 644k in Melbourne

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Melbourne has the edge here, logging 254 pleasant days a year.

·outdoorscore

87/100

58% higher than Melbourne

vs 55/100 in Melbourne

Closest outdoor draw: Mt. Hood National Forest, 40.4 mi.

·walk score®

100/100

19% higher than Melbourne

vs 84/100 in Melbourne

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

2750% more than Melbourne

vs 2 nonstops in Melbourne

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as portland:

see also

albuquerque

$530/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

cincinnati

$629/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

salt lake city

$515/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare portland with:

AlbuquerqueCincinnatiSalt Lake City