Compared to NY, he's wrong. Compared to most other places, even other metro areas, he's very right :)

Prices in SF are definitely 2x-3x what I have paid anywhere else.

In fact, every time i visit, say, chicago, or atlanta, i'm strongly reminded of this fact.

Can you find quality places in SF where that's not true? I'm sure. But on average, it's definitely the case that it's significantly more expensive here.

You can compare the CPI as well: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun...

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun...

Groceries should not be 40% more expensive in SF :)

$7 beer? Frugal? In Berlin a beer costs $1 from the shop and maybe $2-3 from a bar.

I think his point was that you CAN buy a $7 beer in a bar, but you can also buy a $1 beer at a grocery store like Trader Joes. So $7 is the high end here, not the "frugal" option.

Years ago, I met a French woman who had decided to take up residence in Berlin. She told me that the city's unofficial motto was "poor but sexy".

I believe it may even have made it into official marketing campaigns since then. Berlin is gentrifying fast though. The Neukölln neighbourhood is unrecognisable to the place I moved to 4 years ago.

You'll pay $7 for a 20oz point of something nice at a bar.

You can buy 6 packs of good craft beer for $7/$8 at any grocery store.

Grocery store prices are not adjusted to local rental rates?

I don't see why not, they have to pay rent too.

That was my question. $7-8 for 6 pack of beer seems exceptionally good value for a city like SF.

Im thinkning of moving to München, this might be another reason too. A Heiniken 33cl beer in Stockholm costs around 12 USD if you are at a nightclub, otherwise around 10 USD.

> otherwise around 10 USD

wat? it's 1.5$ actually

http://www.systembolaget.se/dryck/ol/heineken-153603

Sorry, I meant at a pub or a bar.

Munich is much more expensive across the board.

Compared to Portland, $7 a beer is actually pretty expensive. Not as crazy as the mythical $15, but for a local craft beer it should be more like $5-6. But that could all just be taxes.

(and we do have $7-12 beers, they're just known to be extra fancy or aged)

I've heard that Portland COL prices are climbing sharply due to people moving in. Is that true?

What do people normally count in cost of living? Utilities and services are fine, and groceries are easy to find reasonably priced. Transportation is fine.

So I think as others have mentioned, rent and house prices are the things climbing sharply. I know someone paying $900 for a room in a 3 person house, in a really great part of town (Division, for locals). I've heard studios go for well over $1000, and fill up fast. But really, you don't have to look very hard to find something cheap(er). Surrounding areas (with new access to light rail that goes down town) are reasonable.

I don't think it's really as bad as some people make it out to be, but it definitely is getting more expensive in town. I mean, that's the nature of the housing market recovery :)

Vocal minority.

Overall Portland is still relatively cheap. The only thing getting out of control is rent and house purchasing (because of the serious lack of inventory), but the entire nation is seeing this so it's not specific to Portland.

True of rent, for sure. The rest is fairly stable.

$7 for craft beer FROM the brewery is madness. $3-$5 is typical here in Portland and we have some of the best beer in the world.

Do you have kids? It's expensive for families..

I agree - I'm yet to find a $15 IPA! If anything, I'd say that rightly or wrongly the prices are very comparable to that of New York. I often spend more on food when I visit New York but admittedly I'd be taking the opportunity to go to a popular restaurant or bar rather than trying to find a convenience store etc. I can only anticipate the same thing would happen if I lived in NY and were visiting here.

Agree,

I'm visiting from Australia and its maybe 10% to 30% more expensive, and alcohol is cheaper. Nothing like what we paid for stuff in new york.

Rent is expensive, but I pay 6-8$ for a good craft beer and ~12 for a nice bowl of pho for lunch. I dont even know where you could go to buy 14$ beer? Some hotel sky bar or a nightclub?