Vancouver vs Bellingham cost of living (Camas, Lynden: section 8, apartments, rentals)

[heatherpoo]

My husband and I are looking to relocate to the Pacific Northwest from the central coast of California. We are looking for cooler weather, better public schools, and a lower cost of living. We lived in Monterey for 7 years and then moved to Paso Robles. Monterey had a cost of living slightly lower than San Francisco while Paso Robles was less than Monterey. Essentially, after moving to a lower cost of living, from Monterey, I really do not want to go back to living in that environment. I'm trying to decide currently between Bellingham and Vancouver. So far I am leaning towards Bellingham after visiting, but I've heard varied reports of the cost of living. Just to give you an idea, we are currently renting a mediocre 3 BR 2 Bath 1500 sq ft house for $1550 with a fenced in yard. How is this compared to Bellingham? Also, are Bellingham or Vancouver pet friendly since we have a cat and 2 dogs, one dog being 50 pounds? Also schools are important to me since my children are young and will be starting elementary school soon. We looked at areas in Oregon near Portland, but I can definitely tell than Washington has less economic woes and more investment in public schools and infrastructure. Also, Vancouver seemed a lot less crowded and had less traffic than the Oregon side of Portland.

[StealthRabbit]

These two areas are actually quite comparable in CoL, (with the exception being the WWU centric apartments in So Bellingham & Fairhaven). BUT there are many differences in the layout / city environment / recreation. A big difference is convenience to an EZ (cheap) airport (for which Vancouver is tough to beat), and Vancouver's 10 minute access to the variety of Portland culture and unique shopping needs (such as auto, house, hobby, art supplies).

That said, Vancouver, BC is really a great INTERNATIONAL centric place too, tho a bit inconvenient to access since 911. (can take an hour at the border (coming back) vs. 5 min). you can get 'ez passes' embedded in your DL which will expedite the crossing, but not the wait. For a PRICE you can access the speedy lanes. Some crossings are faster (truck / Lynden), but they too can get busy on weekends.

You will need to let us know your particular desires, but differences I would consider.
Bellingham is a Port, with direct access to inland waters and Alaska. Close to Mt Baker (similar to Mt Hood, without the crowds (or the variety of skiing / summer entertainment), BC Camping is really great compared to WA, but North Cascades is pretty decent too. Bellingham has a community identity, a few college options and a few employment options. Slightly colder in winter than Vancouver, WA

Vancouver is generally a bedroom community of Portland, and does not have a strong community identity, but plenty of decent regions. It can be pretty 'suburban' compared to Bellingham. Older housing areas exist, but they are no prominent. It is one hr from Mt Hood, Columbia Gorge wind surfing, Oregon Coast, Mt St Helens, and the Oregon Willamette valley. Good Columbia Gorge hiking is as close as 20 minutes. It does get hotter in summer in Vancouver. Portland helps open up more jobs and pay rates can be a bit higher in Vancouver (Bellingham has abundant college kids for cheap labor). College choices in PDX / Vancouver are very broad. Vancouver is 5 hrs closer to CA if you plan to drive there very often.

Schools... , both probably have equivalent options, but if choosing Vancouver, consider going 10 minutes east to Camas District. Both areas have HS options for Running Start. (Free college instead of HS)

[Viper2]

Bellingham, WA (Whatcom County) is quieter, less crowded, and has less traffic than Vancouver, WA (Clark County). Both areas are great for outdoor recreation (hiking, camping, etc.). Whatcom County is on the ocean (or bay), whereas Clark County is not. However, Clark County in on the Columbia River which is very nice too, though not as vast. Whatcom County has more mountains than Clark County.

Try this website to compare cost of living between two cities: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[cocomae]

well if your looking for less expensive rent than you already are paying in paso good luck finding it in oregon or washington. Ya sure we have some track style communities that are filled with section 8 recipients. If your looking to live in a nice neighborhood your gonna have to pay well over 1500 per month. good luck

[Bill Loney]

Originally Posted by cocomae

If your looking to live in a nice neighborhood your gonna have to pay well over 1500 per month. good luck

Patently false. Bellingham isn't the cheapest, but for 1500 you can find a nice place in Fairhaven that fits the bill for crying out loud.

[Future Hamster]

This July we will be renting a 4 bedroom home in a good neighborhood for $1600. Right across the street from one of the prettiest parks in Bham with lots of hiking trails and the lake nearby. You can find cheaper than that as well. Bellingham has a wonderful school district. Sounds like it will cost just about the same as living in Paso though. We are coming from southern CA and will be paying less but not by much. Sure will be nice to look around at all the green and recreational opportunities for our family though!

[mrslovettstailor]

I have only ever visited these two places but I found Bellingham much nicer than Vancouver. I thought it was much prettier, liked the layout better and found it offered much more than the later. One of my sons loved WWU and will be transfering there his sophmore year. Also we were all over Washington and the only rude people we encountered were in Forks and Vancouver, I know this may make some people mad, but just saying....

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Bill Loney

Patently false. Bellingham isn't the cheapest, but for 1500 you can find a nice place in Fairhaven that fits the bill for crying out loud.

Fairhaven is all college rentals except further south into the ultra rich homes on the water front. I wouldn't touch that area with a 10 foot pole.

That said you can find a dcent place to rent for ~$1500, but don't expect much savings over what you are paying now.